Negaverse Rising  Clean
by Tracer Fallon
Summary: Set during Sailor Moon R; A/U explores Serena becoming Neo-Queen Serenity and the very beginnings of Crystal Tokyo, a few years earlier than canon. My first SM fanfic from the 90s, rewritten to Rated T. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**Negaverse Rising**

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**Chapter 1**

_STRUGGLE_

Sweating, Serena flailed wildly under heavy weight. Screams. Darkness. Drippy black darkness as her body felt assaulted everywhere at once. Strangely, she realized she was holding a man —not holding him back, but holding him, even as he painfully ripped through her, drilled down powerfully into her. She tried to look down, where she felt his drenched head on her chest. Her naked chest! she realized suddenly, but couldn't see; everything was pitch black; everything was moving sickly, but invisibly.

A welling of fear boiled inside her; the man's heavy hand was on her face. A finger in her mouth... No! She jerked her face away, grasping the bedsheets on either side of her. She was in her bed. She couldn't see, but —ouch! She groaned loudly, but it didn't sound like her groaning. What she said seemed to be different than what she heard herself say; she fell into a further inky blackness, shallowly breathing. Darien. Darien was there through their bond, she intuited; he was trying to calm her down. Kissing her? —She was kissing him back! No, he was just calming her; someone else was —something or someone pushed inside her, making her scream with pain. Inky blackness took her lungs; she couldn't breathe. The nasty goo was pushing inside her with increasing urgency. A tongue was deep in her throat, almost gagging her; she held on tighter, trying to control at least whether or not she could get some air.

Pain seared through her body everywhere, but it was the heavy, smelly presence on her who was yelling, though what the voice was too muffled to make out the words; and then the tongue was down her throat again. As the creature pulled away, she thought she saw his face —but it was a shadowy, cloaked ghoul who laughed maniacally over her. She screamed as he held still and pulsated deep into her body. Then the inky blackness enveloped her entirely; a dark ink pouring over her brain, taking her breath. She knew she must be dying. Sinking into the negaverse, never to be found again.

"I love you," she heard. It was Darien, surely having witnessed this travesty through their bond. When she looked up, she saw a giant black ink spot, exploding into a menacing grimace. She heard herself called for Darien; for help; for anything! Her throat closed, and she swore she'd been hit; felt an ooze flowing down her face, into her eye. She felt around with her mind — big, sweaty man still on her; wetness between her legs. Blackness. Was she even in her room? —Man gone. No man. There was no man, just a swirling, dizzying blackness and echoes of screams and pain.

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_AWAKENING_

Serena woke up suddenly, and with a miserable headache. She startled; looked around in the bright sunlight. She was in her bedroom, and everything looked fine. She'd been dreaming! A considerable weight fell off her chest, and with sudden glee she leaped up—

..and felt a puddle stream down her legs. She looked at it in horror, then grabbed some tissues to staunch the flow. "No," she cried silently, realizing she was completely naked, shaking as she reached for a robe. She draped the robe around herself, staring at the wall so she wouldn't see the bruises she thought she saw on her chest. In shame, she tied the robe tightly about her, then ran to the mirror.

She looked the same! But on closer inspection, she noticed some of those love bites visible on the sides of her neck; and she gasped as she saw what looked like a small hickey on the corner of her mouth. She touched her mouth, trying to remember how that might have happened. Nothing; just soreness. She patted on some powder desperately over the bruising, trying to hold back panicked tears and as she did so. Who would have done this to her? What if it wasn't real? What if it was some kind of Negaverse assault on her mind; a trap of some kind?

She ran to the bed and pulled the covers back. Stifling a sob, she saw blood on the sheets. She clearly wasn't on her period, although she'd only had a few periods and they weren't exactly regular yet.

No, she realized, sitting in horror on her bed. She'd been assaulted. And she didn't know how; she tried to remember her evening, and there was little memory there. She didn't even remember eating dinner with her parents, although she was sure she must have! She shook her head, as if to clear the cobwebs. Could she have been drugged? Is this something she should tell Luna? The other Sailor Senshi?

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_PLEA_

Darien had avoided her all day, as usual, but when she saw him walking home around dinnertime, she snuck up on him and calmly said, "Darien!" before falling into step with him.

His blood ran cold; his pace picked up. "What is it, Serena," he said darkly.

She glanced over at him cautiously. "I need your help," she asked meekly. "Something happened last night—"

Darien spun on her, grabbing her arm and stopping her progress: "You have friends, Serena. I'm not one of them." He let her go and continued walking.

"Were you at my house last night?" she shrieked, hurt that he was being so cold to her, even after she'd asked nicely for help. She had to run to catch up with him again, and silently willed him to believe that for once, she wasn't trying to get back together with him; she just wanted an answer.

Darien continued walking, and said snidely, "No, Serena. Why would I go over to see you? I told you, we're finished."

She blinked back tears, nodding, as she struggled to keep up. "It's not that, Darien. I thought I sensed you... —Something horrible happened, I'm not sure what, but it _felt_ like a Negaverse attack."

Darien brushed her off: "That doesn't even make sense, Serena! The Negaverse is gone!" He shook his head angrily, "You're just making up a reason to talk to me—"

She didn't let him finish; she had turned around and run off. She was _going_ to ask him if he hadn't felt she was in danger, and if so did he know anything further about the attack... but couldn't bear to hear any more of his mouth at all. She was positive... she **_had_**_ **been**_ positive, that is, that Darien had been calling to her, comforting her through their bond. Maybe even fighting for her! Now she wasn't sure about anything.

But it occurred to her that maybe a stranger assaulting her was preferable to even talking to this mean jerk she somehow used to love.

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_COMFORT_

Rei held Serena in a warm embrace, shushing her.

"You really think a girl can have that kind of a violent wet dream?" Serena whispered, embarrassed.

Rei deadpanned: "Ever met Lita?"

Serena looked down, embarrassed. "There was nothing nice about this .._dream_," she spat out, hardly able to call it that. And her lower lip started to tremble again, "And there was blood too." Serena cried softly, explaining for the umpteenth time to her best friend why she was so sure she'd been assaulted in the night, although she was unable to recall it well.

Rei hugged Serena again, rubbed her friend's back softly. "Shh, _shh!_ Sere, look at me." Rei pushed her friend back gently to look in her eyes: "We can call a meeting and tell Luna and everyone. But we know the Negaverse is gone now! —I really think it's just your period, and all the stress you've gone through with that jerk Darien!" When Serena looked at her unbelieving, Rei said, "You just started this year, right? They can be incredibly irregular. It's really not unusual for that time of the month to come when you least expect it, and with it, to bring all sorts of strange dreams."

Serena shrugged, shivering. "I guess so. I still think I got drugged or something yesterday. I've never had a dream like that, Rei."

Rei looked away. "Maybe it was something you ate. You DO eat like there's no tomorrow. Some food combinations don't mix well before bed."

Serena walked away. Buried her face in her hands. Mortified. "Oh my God! And to think I almost told Darien about it!"

Rei's anger grew suddenly. "I wish I could figure out a way to make you forget that jerk."

Serena nodded solemnly. "Sorry. I know—"

Rei blustered. "Well, on second thought, even if I could make you forget him, I wouldn't. You need to remember what a jerk Darien Chiba is."

"Why?" Serena groaned, smiling slightly at her friend's protectiveness.

"So you don't make the same mistakes again. That's how we grow and learn, Sere. If we forgot every lesson we learned, we'd never get too far!" Rei paused, then said, "I think one thing we have to take away from this is that there's no such thing as 'destiny'. Even if a man were to come from your future and tell you, 'Serena, this is what you must do,' you wouldn't have to do it. It could be a lie! And even if it weren't he'd be interfering with your free choice by telling you what your choice was."

Serena said, "But we were all sent to this time to be reborn and—"

Rei shook her head: "I know I know," Rei said blandly, "I've heard it. But remember, Sere —_you're _the Princess." She smiled. "Darien just _wishes _he were."

Serena's eyes opened wide, and then the girls giggled for the first time since Serena's arrival.

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_A NEW ORDER_

Weeks passed, and Serena still relived memories of that nightmare over and over. But as the physical evidence of an altercation went away, the memories stopped haunting her so much. She was focused on training hard with the Senshi to fight the new enemies they knew collectively as droids. Unlike almost every enemy they'd fought before, these guys seemed to be trained to attack the Senshi, not to steal souls.

And they were tough, at times requiring all five Senshi to dust just one droid. Serena rarely saw either Darien or Tuxedo Mask, even though she always looked for a non-existent Tuxedo Mask after a battle. And the other Sailor Senshi noticed where Serena's attentions were, most particularly Rei.

In those few short weeks, her friendship with Rei seemed to get edgier. Serena knew Rei had expected her to take Rei's sage advice and simply forget Darien; and Serena had tried, at least around Rei, to focus on the tasks at hand, so it wouldn't seem like Rei's advice went ignored. But Serena also knew Rei watched her closely, and had gotten less and less accepting of her 'infatuation' with Darien.

By the end of a month, Rei started taking every chance she could to demean not only Darien, and true love, but any notion of destiny. The latter of which clearly irritated Serena, since it was Serena's very 'kingdom of peace' which the Sailor Senshi were fighting to ensure could come into existence one day! Serena didn't even need to be the princess or queen, she'd argued one time; but it was very important to Serena that such a kingdom, under anyone's rule, _could _exist one day.

Serena blamed herself for Rei's change, though; she knew that with friends as close as the Senshi, they could feel her hurt as surely as she could feel theirs. Rei merely didn't want Serena to hurt; she wanted Serena to get over Darien and meet a new boy and become the best Sailor Moon she could be.

And all the girls sorta felt just as charitable about Rei's changes, until Rei went a bit too far during training one day. Serena had been studying furiously as the end of 8th grade rapidly approached; she clearly hadn't spent much time sleeping, maybe more due to crying over Darien then due to slaving away at the books. But when Serena's clumsiness in training landed her unconscious on the ground, Rei rounded on her cruelly, not even letting up when Serena struggled to her feet, only to stumble again like she were drunk.

Luna called a sudden end to the day's training session, to Rei's dismay and incessant rants about needing to push through the tough spots. Lita attributed Rei's rantings as PMS, but Ami and Mina both started questioning Rei's mental stability that day. Rei wasn't even somewhat apologetic the next day, when she learned Serena didn't show up at school. Rei insisted that as Sailor Senshi, pushing through common virii like the cold or flu was essential to their training. Rei lost even Luna on that count, and there would be no training that day. Or, come to find out, the next.

Or the next, as Luna and Serena had called an emergency meeting, claiming to have evidence of a new enemy.

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_THE ENEMY EMERGES_

Serena stood at the front of the group, trying hard to keep her courage up. There stood Darien, angry face on, as if he was furious to have to be in her mere midst. Anger grew within her, and she turned to Rei, who was clearly agitated, even rolling her eyes.

Rei said, "Well, Sere, let's have it. You wanted this meeting instead of a _much_-needed training session. I've got things to do, droids to battle..."

Serena spat out, "Memories to change; wrongs to cover-up."

Serena got a slight twinge of satisfaction when both Rei and Darien jerked their heads up. She absolutely knew she had been right, but seeing their reactions changed her satisfaction into the stab of pain you get when you give voice to a suspicion and have it verified.

Serena scanned the room for the others she wasn't sure about. Mina wore her usual look of confusion, but Ami blinked and looked down. Bad sign. Serena then scanned her ever-loyal friend, Lita. Lita looked ready to lunge at someone, but like Mina, was utterly clueless. Even Luna's ears perked. Artemis was asleep, though.

Serena continued in the sudden stillness of the room: "I want to know what exactly you did to me, Rei."

Rei recovered on hearing Serena's voice. "I didn't do ANYTHING to you, Serena," she drawled in an almost bored voice while furiously thinking what could have given her away. Darien surely hadn't said anything to her. '_She's just guessing. It's got to be that.'_ Rei would stand her ground.

Serena held Rei's glare, wondering if Rei had acquired some new ability to scan her thoughts even now. Serena stated firmly, "You've been playing around in my brain, Rei. Hiding memories from me."

When the other girls gasped at the horrible accusation, Rei fought the urge to glance at Darien, to wipe the bead of sweat off her forehead, and instead interrupted with a derisive laugh: "Serena! Even if I could see someone's memories, how could I possibly _hide_ them!"

"Or why would she want to?" asked Mina breathlessly, with an anxiety she didn't like building up inside her.

Rei's harsh laugh had nearly drowned out Serena's whimper, but Serena was having none of it. And Rei sensed that Serena knew. —None of which was lost on Lita as she watched Rei uncomfortably trying to stare Serena down without a trace of a smile on her face.

Serena sucked it up and said simply: "You're the only one that _can, _Rei." Then she glanced at Darien pointedly before turning back to Rei: "—and the only one who might care to."

Lita grabbed Rei's arm. "What's she talking about, Rei?"

Serena pushed on: "You can fog memories up some. Right, Rei? I've seen you do it before—"

Rei blanched. Rei lied: "No!"

Serena continued slowly, knowingly. "Make things seem like a dream? Yeah.. yes, you can. Something can happen in real life," She glanced over at Darien, and continued a bit more angrily. "something horrible, like, say, a RAPE," and she turned back to Rei, "and you can make it seem like it wasn't real; just a faraway nightmare."

Lita glared at Rei, but then turned to Serena: "She can do it to _enemies_, Serena. During a battle or something. She can't do that to us! To _friends_!"

Darien had blanched when Serena said 'rape', staring right at him as she said it. He'd taken a step back. He'd wanted to argue that it wasn't like that! How could she even imagine it that way? They'd shared the most beautiful night of passion ...but then he'd left suddenly; desperately. Remembering the haunting dreams that threatened her death if he stayed with her. He'd left her that night, trying to think of a way to fix what he'd done! He supposed that alone could have made it seem uglier to her, but it couldn't change what had actually happened. She should be remembering a wonderful dream, maybe one that ended sadly, but wonderful all the same.

His mind fought furiously for an answer to this quandary. He'd known she might remember. He wondered if her dreams might be graphic, and replayed over and over in perfect detail, and might make her realize it couldn't be a dream after all. That kind of realistic dreaming, happening day in and day out, was in fact exactly why Darien had broken it off with Serena to begin with; a constant onslaught of terrifying scenes, each one showing Serena dying an agonizingly slow, lonely death. Screaming in misery. Saddened beyond belief. So .._destroyed_, that even several lifetimes of happiness couldn't possibly make up for that misery.

Darien allowed his terrifying dreams to play in his memories, strengthening him to figure out what he'd need to do in the face of discovery.

Serena grilled Rei a bit more forcefully now: "You tried to help cover up a mistake. Right, Rei? Even if it meant driving me crazy in the process!"

Mina quietly echoed Lita: "Serena, Rei can do that, to some degree —_in a fight_, honey. Not to her friends." Mina fully believed something horrible must have happened to upset Serena this much. But she also believed in Rei's ultimate goodness. She started to wonder if the Negaverse might indeed be involved with whatever was upsetting Serena. Maybe it wasn't as 'gone' as they'd believed. "We'll get to the bottom of this—"

Rei's survival instinct kicked in; she stepped angrily towards Serena and hissed, "I'm not the one making you crazy." She grabbed Serena's arm, jerking the meek girl close: "You're the one who tortures yourself about a man who doesn't want you! If you'd just drop him like he dropped you we wouldn't be having this conversation!"

Serena pulled away, saddened not by the reminder about Darien's hatred of her, but by Rei's continued lying. She collected herself, then quietly said, "Rei, I know."

Lita, shocked by Rei's cruelty to Serena, and counting it as an admission of guilt, grabbed the Martian Senshi's shoulder and manhandled her away from Serena: "Know what, Serena. Just let me know. We'll handle this _in house_." Lita smiled evilly at Rei, then back at Serena. She had the Moon Princess' back, even if the Moon Princess was just upset over that lout Darien. And under no circumstances would Rei mouth off about Darien's cruelty like Serena was the one at fault.

Rei's cruelty wasn't lost on others, either, and it was beginning to dawn on them that something significant had happened between Serena and Rei. It had dawned on Ami almost immediately, but only because Rei had called about a month ago to ask her if it would be possible to make an event seem like a dream in a non-combative situation. She asked if she could hope the effect would continue to work. Rei's examples were primarily child molestation. And yes, it could work, but as Ami had warned Rei, the victim would be a victim all over again, and wouldn't be able to deal with it effectively, dooming them to be a victim twice over. It would be entirely unethical.

Ami spoke up then, a choked voice betraying her knowledge: "Darien," she said, "This is a serious charge. Not just .._rape_," she said gravely, "but erasing memories—" Then, forgetting all legal and ethical arguments, she realized she couldn't grasp one thing. She stood and said, "You've been abusive to her for weeks!" Curiosity morphing into courage, morphing in anger, "Tell her you couldn't have done this! Okay?" The cruelty was hitting her full on; and she'd been a party to it, however inadvertently.

"No!" Darien spat out the lie in disgust, disgusted with himself, and channeling that disgust at Ami's accusation. He'd let this get way too far. He usually stayed angry at himself for not being able to hide his desires so much more responsibly. Had he been able to keep a handle on his emotions, he wouldn't have had to ask Rei for help in the first place. And even with that help, he had to avoid Serena every day to not betray his feelings. Without monumental defenses up, he knew without a doubt she'd see the adoration he held for her, and she'd wear him down easily.

"And I haven't been '_cruel_'," Darien added, but avoided looking at Serena. "She's a CHILD! I feel like a pervert just BEING part of this group sometimes. There's no way I'd TOUCH her!" he lied, about the biggest lie he'd ever dared. But he had to make them all believe it. He had to erase that night. It was his only hope at continuing to prevent her miserable future.

Darien dared to look at Serena, whose eyes were downcast. He had figured a way out of this yet. Their previous lives, which eased ever-so-slightly into their realities at times, might yet explain this to her. And he felt he could do so nicely, maybe even offering her comfort.

Darien said, "Serena, look, yes we had sex. Often. IN ANOTHER LIFE. Okay? I don't personally revel in the memories, but I get those visions sometimes, too. I —I can't imagine that I would have hurt you, but you're young. What you think of as 'rape' might have been normal lovemaking for our former counterparts!"

If he could work with what Rei had done to her memories, and make Serena think that the 'rape' wasn't evil-intended, but normal lovemaking, maybe she could accept that and get over it. He couldn't give her hope for them now, but maybe he could alleviate some of her apparently nightmarish memories. He was going to have a talk with Rei as soon as he could get a chance.

Serena had listened to Darien's outburst, then his so-called soothing words, with a stoicism she didn't know she had. Mina and Lita approached her to comfort her as his reasonable explanation finished, but she backed away slightly, asking them silently not to touch her. Shaking her head pitifully, she made it clear she didn't want the comfort.

Then she stood to her fullest height. Artemis had woken with the first loud words, and now both cats were watching the proceedings with alarm, but Luna sensed that Serena was about to drop a bomb that would send the room into disarray. Artemis was by her side; they were prepared to take any necessary action.

An unbelieving Serena said to Darien, "You think that I'm remembering you FORCING SEX on me in another life, Darien? That it doesn't translate to this life?"

Darien's hair stood up on the back of his head. The continued rape accusations sounded so true that he'd almost started to believe them. It was then that he knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Rei must have altered something significant in Serena's memories, so Serena remembered something that wasn't; a true nightmare of some sort, with him starring in it. And in that moment, he wondered if carrying on with this charade wasn't more cruel than simply signing her future death warrant.

Serena continued, "I'm to believe these vivid dreams that haunt me, and took my virginity, and left marks on me... that they are from another life! Or an over-active imagination!"

Darien stared back at her, comprehending suddenly. She knew because of the blood; her virginity was lost that night. And she'd thought it was rape. His soul crushed in on itself, just starting to realize the enormity of the harm he'd caused.

Rei said, "I TOLD you there were perfectly rational explanations for your 'physical evidence', Serena."

"Ah!" Serena said, still facing Darien. "That's right. It's _hormones_," she said dryly, then looked over her shoulder at Rei.

Darien said, "Serena, you're obviously very disturbed—"

"No, Darien!" Serena shot back, turning on him wide-eyed. "I'm not '_disturbed_'. I'm pregnant!"

Darien's eyes went wide, fixed on her eyes. Shut hard. In a moment, no, in that second, he saw exactly how his irresponsible actions might cost her her life. The visions had been right. He thought they had ended that night because of Rei's actions, and his proven determination to stay apart from Serena, but now he knew better. The dream ended because he'd sealed her fate.

Ami glared at Rei, then transformed and threw a blast of Mercury Bubbles towards Darien, though they flew over the crushed man's head. As the wall crumbled on him, she charged him physically like a bull. "You're the worst person I've ever even HEARD of!" punching him as hard as she could with each syllable.

Lita had pulled Rei to her in a chokehold, then grabbed her flailing arm and put her on the ground forcibly, knee to the back. As Sailor Mercury's punches landed on Darien's crumpled form, Lita hissed to Rei, "Whatever you've done to Serena, you undo it. NOW!"

Luna, however, stepped between the group and Serena, ready to rain hell on the whole room and escape with her charge if necessary. But first, she quickly looked back at Serena. "You're pregnant?" she asked quietly, not quite grasping.

Serena ignored the cat, focused instead on what Lita had just demanded of Rei, and said powerfully, "NO, LITA! I don't want REI to come NEAR me! She might try to FIX me some MORE!" She hugged herself tightly, maddeningly, just imagining what further harm Rei could do to her. She wanted to run far away now; everything was out; chaos reigned.

Darien yelled out in agony when Ami's brutality was cut short by Mina, who had quickly come to his rescue. But all he could see was the near future as chaos erupted. He could see Serena refusing them all; Sailor Moon unable to battle; world collapse... and he groaned audibly. This chaos wouldn't have happened if he had been able to control himself that one fateful night. The one he'd begged Rei to erase.

Rei was screaming in pain from Lita's hold, but was crying out for Serena to hear her.

Mina, the ever-hopeful goddess of love, had sunk to the ground after getting Sailor Mercury off Darien. Hope abandoned. Hopes that the Negaverse had somehow come back and hurt Serena, black hopes that they were, were now replaced by knowledge that her best friends had hurt Serena worse than the Negaverse ever could have.

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_JUDGMENT_

Nothingness. Serena stared into the deep dark of space, so utterly unlittered with lights, so painfully cold. She was sitting, somehow, knees pulled up to her chest, seeking, but with the knowledge that there was nothing to be found. Not where she was looking. And yet she continued to seek. Her heart crushed as each dim light she found blurred to inky darkness so black it hurt her head, forcing her to try to focus on another dimness.

She suddenly threw her head back in the slushy icy deep, mouth wide open, gasping desperately for strength. Squeezing her eyes shut, she sensed the light she needed, deep in her own body, barely pulsating. She released her breath, stood up and opened her eyes while turning around.

She was back in the temple, cats by her heels, trying to wend a hint of a confident aura as she looked over the group of two-dimensional canvases staring at her, waiting for her next move. The betrayal, the overwhelming betrayal of her mind, her body, by these people still stung her. Her own hurt betrayed her intentions to argue that she was not a toy, a child, to be so callously deprived of basic human rights. Tears stung her eyes as she fought to control her breathing.

And then she grew up. She closed her eyes, letting the tears squeeze out and down her face. She felt Darien move towards her before he actually did, and she gained a bit of hope as her hand struck out to stop him before he could move. 'Yes,' she smiled inwardly as Darien stood but without taking a step; '_I did that._' He had stopped before he had really known he was about to move, because she had held her hand out to stop him. She had finally,_ finally,_ gained a step on any of these so-called '_protectors_' of hers, those who'd betrayed her.

Rei had gotten through; grabbed Serena's arm, was talking. Excitedly; defensively. Serena didn't know what she was saying; the words were a garble to her. Serena's head dropped down to glance at her cat. Luna launched within that same instant and shredded Rei's arm as she ripped the transform brooch from her body.

Serena heard the next words. Rei had fallen backwards, grasping for the charm that was no longer there. A horrified Mina comforted her friend, then looked at Serena and shrieked, "Serena! STOP THIS! She was clearly wrong but she must have thought she was helping you!"

Serena pondered the scene in horror as the other Senshi sat with Rei; stared up at her. Lita and Mina were innocent in all this, Serena determined. They were just as confused as she had been. Serena didn't feel the need to enlighten any of them, though. She was drawing strength, and wisdom, from her extraordinary pain.

Luna, however, taking a swipe at a slowly-approaching Darien, felt no such compulsion to remain silent. Serena knew Luna was going to speak before Luna spoke, and was content contemplating the source of her premonition. This was new. First, she stopped Darien. Then Rei, indirectly. And she felt she could stop Rei directly now. Just as now she knew Luna would sort this out, and she could observe, take it all in.

"Especially not you!" the cat snapped at Darien. "You son of the Negaverse! Never in all my ages have I heard of such a thing, by anyone called into Queen Serenity's service to protect the world and particularly her daughter! The shame you have brought to your house, and to the name of Queen Serenity and the whole Moon Kingdom, will be forever muddled! And for what purpose?"

Mina blinked back tears, still holding a sobbing Rei from behind, but answered, "Serena, you know none of us could have meant any such harm—"

Serena winced with premonition. She blinked here, jumping to hold the same hand out to Artemis as he made to leap for Mina's throat. "No no no," Serena intoned to the cat, stepping forward after Artemis obeyed her, and as it dawned on the group why Artemis had started to leap. Serena continued to step forward, to Mina and Rei, Lita and Ami, and she knelt before them all, fear pulsating now through her veins as much as revulsion. She finally spoke, gently, to Mina:

"Mina, I'm done. Look where all this 'superhero' stuff has gotten me. I woke up to remember being in love with _him_," she glared over at the ball on the floor. "—and it got me raped. My own Senshi took pity on HIM and erased my memories." She shook her head and said a little louder, "I dare you, _ASK_ me how I found out I was pregnant?" She blinked back angry tears. "I THOUGHT I WAS A VIRGIN!" Beat. "They TOOK that from me, Mina! And left me with a baby..."

"We'll do it together, Sere!" Mina offered desperately, trying to smile. "We always have!"

Luna, who was suddenly a little unsure about the direction of Serena's thoughts, said firmly, "You don't have a choice, Serena. You're Sailor Moon!"

Serena turned on her cat. "No, Luna, I'm not '_Sailor Moon_'. What I am is 14, and pregnant. I'm just a tad beyond caring —about '_Serenity_' and _Moon Kingdoms_! ...dammit Luna, how can I fight 'evil' when it's in my own backyard?"

Luna snapped, "We'll take CARE of that evil, Serena!"

Rei, sobbing, said, "Darien had a weak moment, Serena, and he didn't want to hurt you more!"

"A WEAK MOMENT?" Lita shouted in disbelief.

Lita moved to launch an attack on the man now standing limply behind Serena, but Mina held her back, "No, Lita! There's been enough—"

Lita railed, "WHO DOES THIS? —Darien!" she called out. "You sonofabitch you should be in JAIL!" Wiping her own furious tears from her eyes, she glanced at Serena: "Please, let's call the police! I know we can't do anything about what Rei did except maybe put her damned fires out, but we sure as hell can report a rape. And you've got all the evidence they need—"

"I wish you would," Darien said quietly, like a broken man. "I wouldn't deny it."

Serena spun on him, tears threatening again: "Why?" she asked. "Why did you do this to me? Why didn't you just ignore me? Did you really have to PUNISH me?"

Darien sucked in a sob: "It wasn't _like _that, Serena! I couldn't stay away—!"

Lita ignored his words. "What, do you hate her so much you wanted to assault her... _just for fun?_"

It was Rei who said, "He loves you, Serena."

And everyone turned to the stilled Senshi. You could have heard a pin drop.

Mina, ever the voice of reason, said softly to Rei, "No he doesn't, Rei."

Darien addressed Mina, desperately: "I absolutely do love her."

Serena, shellshocked by an admission she certainly didn't think she'd ever hear, turned on him. Whispered miserably, "I BEGGED you to tell me if you'd been to my room that night, Darien! If we'd shared a dream. If you'd felt something with that stupid ..._bond_! SOMETHING! You wouldn't even SPEAK to me!"

Darien held his hands up defensively, but only to calm her. "Serena I thought it would be easier for you to forget what happened—"

"I'd PRAYED you were there, Darien!" She cried. "At least comforting me; trying to help me! The thought of anyone—" When he reached out for her, clearly pleading with her, she slapped his hand away powerfully, "Don't you EVER lay a hand on me again. If you see a droid attack me, I'd prefer you let him KILL me than have you come anywhere near me, you filthy rapist!"

Darien, completely shellshocked himself by this change in her demeanor, said painfully, "No, Serena; it wasn't rape! _You know me! _I wouldn't have forced myself on you! It was consensual! And you were sleeping peacefully when I—"

"WHY'D YOU COME TO ME?" she demanded, miserably. "You swore you didn't want anything to DO with me!" She gasped in horror, plagued by the drippy blackness of her memories of a man assaulting her. "Then you said you DIDN'T come to me, that it was a memory from the freakin Silver Millennium! And NOW you're saying you did and that I.. _enjoyed_ it?"

Darien interrupted desperately, pushing her flailing arms down by her side, trying to calm her again: "Sweetheart I promise you something must have gone wrong when Rei tried to make you forget—"

Lita bowled him over and then stood up by her friend: "She told you not to TOUCH her again, idiot!"

Serena said to Darien as he jumped back up: "I can't believe you'd think your promises would MEAN anything to me!"

Lita stormed, "We should kill him."

Darien braved the storm, "Serena please, it's not supposed to be like this! I was wrong to step foot into your room! Things got out of control —WAY out of control, obviously. I couldn't —stop! But I should have! Don't you see? This is all proof that I should have stayed away from you! One night, and now you're pregnant—!"

"Leave him alone!" the castrated Rei begged from behind them all, still on the floor, weakened by the removal of her crystal. "Serena, he made love to you. And you made love TO HIM! I saw it! It wasn't rape. Sure, he came to your room, but you welcomed him into your room!"

Ami, fully disgusted, asked loudly, "And how could she remember, Rei?" She stalked towards Rei, "That was the night you called me, asking if it would be okay to change memories. Do you remember that, Rei?"

Lita asked, "She called you about this?"

Serena's eyes widened, feeling more pain coming her way.

Ami sneered, "No. Rei called to ask me if she could use her powers to help a MOLESTED CHILD forget HIS torments."

"I didn't say it like that, Ami," Rei broke in.

Darien looked to Rei: "'Molested'?"

Ami said, "She asked me that! And what did I say, Rei? I said NO! I said even in that case, you shouldn't erase the child's memory because the act still would have happened, and removing the memory from the ..the VICTIM! would be TWICE VICTIMIZING that kid!"

Ami breathed, collecting herself. Then continued angrily, "Only I didn't know you could have POSSIBLY been referring to OUR FRIEND! That you wanted to help Darien COVER UP an INDISCRETION!" She glared at Darien: "And that, Mr. Chiba, is a _best _case scenario. You've lied so much today that I'm starting to believe you maliciously raped her—"

Rei defended, "It was a rhetorical question. He didn't molest her! I saw it! She ...Serena," she said trying to put on a calmer air, "—you welcomed him into your room. You guys started making out... I mean, at no time was 'force' involved."

Darien said, "Thank you," then, to Serena, "It was a beautiful night, Meatball Head!"

Serena turned and full-slapped him. She shocked herself; looked at her hand. Struggled to not apologize. She fought a trembling chin, and warned, "Don't EVER call me that again!"

Darien backed up a step, tears threatening. He said meekly, "Serena, I love you."

Something twinged in Serena. But she stomped it out. "I wish I'd never met you, Darien. All your mind games; all the back-and-forth. SNEAKING into my room after you broke up with me..!"

"You got her pregnant, you lout!" Lita joined in the fun, punched him in the face.

Darien took the punch, turned back to Serena. The twinge in Serena was back upon seeing Darien's mouth bleed. And then he pleaded with her, "Can't you remember any part of it? If you could, you'd know I love you! I said it, over and over—"

Lita growled, "Yeah, she's got a memory GROWING INSIDE HER that's going to last about 18 years, ASSHOLE!"

Serena, still looking at her smarting hand, said sadly, "You don't even know what you did to me, do you Darien? You know what I remember?" She sniffed. "I remember waking up, and feeling something heavy on me, like a big boulder. Only it was sweating. And hurting me! I couldn't SEE anything! Just all this awful BLACKNESS! I couldn't breathe! I wanted it to STOP!"

Darien, confused, shook his head violently: "I —I'm so sorry! That's not what happened, though. And Rei was supposed to make it seem like a distant dream, Swee—"

"No!" Serena stopped him, warning him to back off as he tried to approach her again. With agony, she said gravely, "It was a living nightmare! I THOUGHT I WAS IN THE NEGAVERSE!" She breathed deeply, angrily. "But then I saw just a glimpse of your face, and for an instant I felt a little better. There was so much darkness. And pain. But seeing your face made it so much better, and do you know why, Darien? Because I thought," she whimpered now, remembering, "..you could never hurt me! No matter how much you said otherwise, I knew you could never hurt me. So I hung on to that, thinking we were being attacked by the Negaverse!"

Mina was sobbing at the story, while Ami shook her head angrily. Both girls knew Serena loved Darien unconditionally; she had taken the worst emotional abuse from him, and somehow maintained hope. They both knew Darien wouldn't hurt her physically, not the way she was describing. But Ami in particular knew that Rei's dallying with Serena's memories had produced a living nightmare that Serena wouldn't be getting over anytime soon. The Negaverse couldn't have destroyed her any more skillfully.

"And then I woke up," Serena said to Darien, staring icily at him. "And everything was so bright and pretty. For just a second," she glowered. "I KNEW it had been a dream." Beat. "Until I SAT UP. I had the evidence all over me! I tried to ignore it; just IMAGINING that nightmare had been real? I wanted to forget. I wanted to forget so bad." She closed her eyes tightly, then barked at him: "You didn't even bother cleaning me up!" She glared at him, hurt. "The moment I stood up, I knew I'd been raped. I THOUGHT I'd been drugged because of the blackness in the dream. I wondered who I'd met that might have drugged me. I wracked my brain. That was the ONLY reason I approached you that day, Darien. For a little bit of help."

Rei called out, now sitting up in horror at what she'd done. "Serena, this is all my fault! It wasn't supposed to be that much of a mind block! It was just supposed to make it seem a little less real!"

Mina dropped her head. Asked in horror, "Rei, how could you do something like that to ANYONE? Most of all, SERENA?" Sniffing, she wiped her eyes: "After everything this jerk has put her through! And after AMI told you not to! She warned you—!"

"I didn't think it would be this big of a deal!" Rei pleaded. "Serena, I swear! It wasn't supposed to be like that at all!"

Luna interrupted here. "But you knew full well, child, that you couldn't practice your DARK ARTS on a fellow Senshi."

**હ**

The chaotic room grew quiet. Luna continued, "This violation — this type of violation — is what we're supposed to stand against. But now it's clear, we don't need to worry about droids, or the Negaverse, nearly so much as ourselves. You — Darien and Rei — have become the likeness of the very enemy we were fighting."

Darien mumbled out miserably, "I can explain everything, Serena. I had dreams, visions! —warning me to stay away from you or you'd die! That's why I broke up with you! To save your life! I heard voices—"

"Then you are schizophrenic, Mr. Chiba," Artemis hissed, voicing his disgust for the first time today. "You forced yourself on a GIRL that you claimed you had no feelings for! Endymion would have KILLED a man who'd done that to _any _girl, much less Serenity! And you got the girl pregnant! Then you had a two-bit magician," he hissed at Rei, "DIG AROUND in the girl's MIND. Tactics rarely even employed by the Negaverse—"

Serena whispered hurriedly, "Artemis, don't! It's enough now. It's over."

She had cooled off considerably, she supposed because she'd finally spoken her deep dark secrets; seen the agony on Darien's and Rei's faces. She'd never understand what possessed them to attack her as they did, but a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders, for the first time since the attack.

Much more calmly, she looked at Darien and said, "It's funny; I think the ONE thing we 'had' to do together was have a child." She stared, "So our destiny is fulfilled."

Darien stared at her, shocked. "You've got to let me explain. I know you must hate me now. _I_ hate me now," his chin quivered. He stood. "But having a child was NOT our only destiny."

Serena glared at him. "You're smarter than this, Darien. You just SAID you had visions that forced you to break up with me; how did you EXPECT us to fulfill our destiny after that. If not EXACTLY like this."

Darien said, "I was going to discover the source of the prophecies, Serena! I'm still—"

Serena shook her head; backed away from them all, taking in the sight as she did, wanting to stop more chaos from happening in the moment. Rei had been effectively stilled; Artemis had almost attacked Mina; and Luna had almost attacked Darien. She was pregnant. Further talk would get them nowhere.

Ami was gathering her things. She chanced a glance up at Serena, who looked simultaneously hurt, and regal. Before her were dumbfounded Senshi, a clearly upset Darien whom Ami had attacked herself, and the cats, drawing a distinct line between Serena and the rest of the group. Ami turned, and left the temple.

Serena breathed out silently. She likewise turned, and left the temple by another passage. She was headed home. Alone.

.

.

.

_AFTERMATH_

Mina was ministering to Rei as Lita angrily made a quick meal for the battle-torn group. Lita dropped a bowl before Darien with an angry, "Eat up, loverboy. You made this mess; you're cleaning it up."

Rei, hollowly, said, "That's what got us here." When nobody responded, she tacked on, "Cleaning it up." Pause. She took a bite of the mess, scrunched up her nose, and thought how this was a meal that only Serena could appreciate. She dropped her spoon and started weeping again. "It wasn't like that. It wasn't as bad as it sounded." Mina merely kept wiping antiseptic on Rei's arm. Rei shook her off, and spat out at Lita, "You could have backed me up a little, Lita."

Lita snorted. "I won't even pretend to understand how you could let your friend get raped—"

"She wasn't 'raped', Lita!" Mina shot back. Thought about it. Looked at Darien over on the floor, and demanded as nicely as she could muster: "You didn't rape her."

Darien pulled himself up to sitting position, staring at his hands. "No," he said. "I killed her."

"Oh GET OFF that!" Rei snapped, then mimicked him, "_I killed her I killed her_. You didn't 'kill' her, Darien. You had sex with her. Your stupid dream almost sounds like a self-fulfilling prophecy now, doesn't it."

Darien jerked at that. Might his dream have been some Negaverse trick all along? But it couldn't be; that whole reality had been reset! Beryl was dead; the shitennou, long gone...

Then, rudely, Rei added, "I can't believe you knocked her up! You neglected to TELL me you didn't use PROTECTION! '_Oh Rei, help me. Oh Rei, how can live without her? Oh Rei, I made LOVE to Serena, I couldn't help myself, can you make her forget that, Rei'._"

Lita shook her head. "I mean, I KNOW you loved her when you were some king a hundred million years ago, but don't you think that.. with you being an adult, and her being FOURTEEN, you could have WAITED a bit?"

Darien said solemnly, "I should have moved away. I couldn't be around her and not .._want _her. Being with Serena... —it felt so natural."

Rei barked back: "You know what else feels natural, Darien? A CONDOM. Pro_TECT_ion."

Mina giggled a little, then stifled it. She whispered, "Actually Rei..."

Darien was thrown back to that night, to his urges, not just to have her in her parents' home, not just to fulfill their every desire, but to actually spill his seed into her. It was unlike any urge he'd ever had before, especially not in that moment. There he was, a grown man, making out passionately with an EIGHTH GRADER, and her incredible response. It was like he was breathing air for the first time in his life. It was better than even his memories of their lovemaking from the Silver Millennium.

He recalled forcing through her virginity with fierce need, without clearly thinking of her discomfort until it was too late. He'd been beside himself; he had quickly consoled her when he realized how it must have hurt. But that had let to more cuddling, and kissing... and then his building need, their mutual lovemaking. And ..and it wasn't enough. Everything he'd wanted in life wasn't merely just joining with his soulmate. His mind had screamed with a destiny that said he had to completely give himself to her—

Darien jumped up, gasping for air, desperate for human contact. _It couldn't be!_ He fought a vigorous fight with his own mind. Had he truly intended to...? He closed the thoughts off; made his way over to the table where the girls were; grasped it.

Rei said, "Calm down, big boy. We get it. It was an accident." She rolled her eyes, thinking what an irresponsible lout he was.

Lita, however, asked nervously, "What's wrong, Darien?"

Darien's eyes were still shut tight. Damn it all if he didn't want to go to her now, to Serena, and seal the deal again. His urges were stronger than ever, to have her, to drown her in him. To be her everything; and she his. He opened his eyes, looked desperately at Mina, Lita. "What have I done?" he asked, wincing.

"You knocked her up," Rei dead-panned, but more to get a little humor back into the air in place of the thick tension. She stood. "Look, I'm the one who's lost here. I lost my transform brooch—"

Darien glared at her, taken aback. "Oh God, Rei. I'm sorry!"

Rei blinked back tears, determined to turn this thing around. "I know, Darien. Me, too. But what good's crying going to do about it." She went to her teapot. She was secretly horrified at how physically weak she felt. The loss of that brooch was almost too much to bear. "At least you didn't lose your.." she thought, "your hat? —whatever it is you transform with."

Mina asked, "Do you think she'll want to see us?"

"Serena?" Rei laughed. "She'll want to see _him_," she nodded at Darien, "no matter what she says now. First time that baby kicks, that weird bond they have —whammo. I'd put money on it. —And we're her friends. She'll understand." Eventually. Rei blinked back tears and lifted the suddenly-heavy teapot.

Darien looked away. Serena had told him, in no uncertain terms, to never come near her again.

Lita said, "She didn't understand why loverboy here hated her. She'll never understand that." Beat. "I'LL never understand that." She looked at Darien. "No offense, but how do you sleep with someone you proclaim to love, then ignore her like you did? What kind of black hole lives in your heart?" She definitely understood Ami's instinct to pummel the guy to death.

.

.

.

**_NIGHT_**

Darien had transformed and flown off, across housetops, as far as the city would take him. He got to the treelines, and picked up speed jumping over the treetops. Far. As long as he could. And then he collapsed in a heap in a small clearing, and curled up into himself.

Rei's injurious comments hadn't helped at all. He'd caused the Martian Senshi's downfall, but Serena had been right about them both. Rei helping him had hurt Serena, which went against Rei's sole Senshi duty. "I'm so sorry," he whispered to the air, to Serena. He imagined himself curled up with her, whispering his sorrow into her hair as he stroked the long, beautiful blond streaks away from her face. He kissed her eyes. "I can't stand to see you in pain."

.

.

Serena lay on her bed, glancing down at her still-flat belly. A moon-shaped light glowed on her belly; she felt her forehead warm with the same sign. Warmth encompassed her. She opened her eyes and looked at the wall, at the warm glow from her body illuminating the walls softly. Two moons. She breathed raggedly though, thinking about how her little moon would have only her to depend on. She wanted to run into Mama's room and let her make it all better; get a promise that Mama and Papa would help her to be a mom. She sobbed softly into her pillow. How? How could this happen to her?

.

.

Darien remembered slipping into her room, so soon after they'd broken up. After_ he'd_ broken up with _her_. She'd been crying that night, as the other nights. The room had been dark, and she'd been alone, and crying herself to sleep. He'd been so crushed, tears threatening his own eyes as he realized that the breakup was harder on them both than he could have imagined. —He must have made an anguished noise, because she turned to him. She had never heard him in her room the other nights; that night she was sitting up in bed, staring. Wiping her eyes clumsily, waiting. Hoping.

Maybe if she'd cried out for him; called him. Then he could have hardened himself. Escaped! But as fate would have it, Serena picked that one night to remain silent. He didn't even remember going over to her bed; he was just there. And then he was sitting on her bed, his hand was in her hair pulling her toward him. He remembered feeling her lips near his ear as they embraced; an accidental brushing of her mouth against his skin. He felt her wet cheeks; heard her gasp at his touch on her waist. A mere sound that sent electricity raging through his veins, and only heightened when her arms wrapped around him as if to hold him forever.

His hands had instantly moved to her shoulders, moving the flimsy gown back over her shoulders to contact her warm skin. He'd said her name, then kissed her forehead, her face; captured her willing mouth with his own in the first kiss they'd shared in a week, a kiss which she'd happily and even hungrily returned.

If only he'd stopped there! But time blurred for him even now, thinking back on it. He was pulling her flimsy nightgown down off her body as he pushed that beautiful kiss deeper; he remembered feeling this overpowering need to touch her. Just a little. But when that gown hit her waist, he suddenly had much more than a little — he had it all, and his heart soared as he pushed her back just enough to suckle on that beautiful chest that he'd only dreamed about before now. He maintained that tender contact as he jerked his jacket off.

He had maddeningly pushed her back onto the mattress and followed clumsily, landing hard on her now half-naked body and pressing his mouth desperately over hers again, never wanting her to cry again over him, or over anything. Feeling her naked chest on his nearly-naked body had pushed him over the edge; in that moment, he'd known that not even her dad bursting in and trying to pull him bodily off this girl would stop this coupling; he ached with need to be inside her.

Maybe she'd been struggling a little at that moment. He thought furiously; decided if she had been, it was surely because he'd gotten clumsy and amateurish in his desire, not able to get undressed quickly enough for either of them. He'd tried to kick out of his pants without breaking their kiss, then tangled his hands into her hair to push his mouth more deeply into hers, hungrily devouring her mouth, refusing to hear her weep.

He now particularly remembered thrusting through her hymen with mad desire to change their fates. Breaking through; thrusting powerfully over and over in her tiny frame, feeling her fear and ecstasy as she soared with him. He remembered letting his own desire build past the point of return —that memory came roaring back suddenly. Him grabbing her hips almost viciously as he poured his seed into her; holding her still as she struggled; even kissing her calm, reassuring her tenderly, as he collapsed onto her, fully spent. He held her tightly; told her... told her it was meant to be.

He shivered at the memory, ashamed at himself for becoming erect even now at just the thought of that night. Such a mindblowing night—of course they'd made a new life! Wrapped up in the heat of the moment, he had ensured that he'd be forever linked to her, regardless of what his confused, infected mind might end up doing after taking control of his senses.

.

.

Serena sat up, frustrated. Was it really real? she asked herself. She could feel his hands on her, smell him, taste him in her mouth, more now than even the night it happened. She could remember a struggle; searing pain as he forced his way into her. She remembered losing herself. Hurting. **_Negaverse_**.

But even that was so fuzzy. She better recalled the bruising the next morning; her neck, her shoulders... she'd been so sure it was real that morning. But then —then, Rei convinced her that your mind could play powerful tricks on you. Serena had told Rei everything. Looking back, Serena realized that Rei had taken her down that path. Wet dreams; violent dreams... the fact that periods are irregular when you start as late as Serena had. Rei had subtly convinced her she'd had a wet dream.

Of course Rei had known just what to say, because ..._she'd known the truth!_ Rei didn't know about the nightmare directly, and had acted like Serena was just ashamed of a wet dream, and explained away so many disturbing things. So well that even now, even after the doctor announced she was pregnant, and even after Rei and Darien admitted the truth, _even now_, Serena still questioned the dream. Even with the proof of its reality growing, even glowing, inside her.

She ran to the window to get air. She breathed in deep, then was caught mid-inhale by a sharp sensation of being watched. She dropped her head and started crying, yet again. Desperately. How could Rei have done this to her? How was she ever to know reality from fantasy? Pleasure from horror?

.

.

"Well it was clearly not the best timing," Rei answered drunkenly.

Lita, laying her head across Rei's legs, harrumphed heartily. "No shit, Sherlock!" Rei could definitely be understated sometimes. "But ...y'know, even if she weren't pregnant, wounnit just SUCK to have your memories RIPPED from your mind." Lita closed her eyes. Swigged another hearty shot of the bourbon.

Rei winced. "You'd rather she remember more of Darien's mind games? AFTER losing her VIRGINITY? No. I love her. Lita, I love Serena. I didn't want her to remember that. I remember—" she started giggling. "This isn't funny." She cleared her throat. "I remember wanting to strangle Darien the minute he told me they'd had sex and he wanted to take it back. He's such a tool!"

Mina, laying beside Rei, said, "I just don't get it. What she sees in him."

Rei grinned widely. "You ought to have SEEN them. If I ever take a lover, and I'm like they were, just shoot me, okay?" She giggled.

"Rei!" both girls shrieked.

Rei shook her head widely, laughing, "No, really. If you could've seen it. It was SO BAD. They weren't even really ..doing much." She thought better of that. "—well, at the end, yes. Things picked up. But before that... it was really gross. Two leeches, just laying there sucking the life out of each other. Disgusting!"

Mina said, "You shouldn't have looked, Rei."

Rei countered, "I had to! You can't see what you have to blur out without SEEING what you have to blur out! Oh, and it was so embarrassing with Darien right here, watching me, watch THEM." She laughed heartily. "He can be really creepy sometimes." She paused. "But he really does love her. He was in all this pain." She shivered. "Really, I'd hate to be the object of HIS affection."

.

.

Darien rolled over and stared at the sky. A crescent moon. It inflamed his heart; he stood up. He cried out with all his energy.

.

.

Serena jerked her head up again, shivers running through her body. She'd both felt the primal yell in her heart, and then seconds later heard it in the night with her ears. She dropped to her knees, head hanging on the window sill, drawing in the air sharply as if for dear life. The cooling air, brushing across her face, down into her nostrils, filling her lungs.

Artemis walked up behind her. "It's him," Artemis said.

Serena turned on the cat who'd been watching her all night. She grabbed him gently, picked him up: "Why me, Artemis? Why'd they do this, _to me_?"

Artemis squirmed uncomfortably. "Set me down gently, please. Princess." Trying to maintain some air of dignity as the gangly beanpole dropped him unceremoniously on the bed, Artemis went to licking his fur before replying. "Lady Moon, it's because you picked stupid friends. I've found that if I surround myself with only the top quality of friend, then I don't have such issues."

Luna purred, rubbing up against Serena in what she hoped was comfort. "You trust him implicitly, Serena. The man could have taken out a gun and shot at you, and you wouldn't have moved. You trust him." She sat quietly. "I can't imagine a situation where the man would have come to your room, and you would have turned him away."

"I know," she said softly. "Me, neither. —Though I'd like to think I would have stopped it from going that far!" She really, _really _hoped that was the case. Having sex, with her parents in the next room, didn't add up to her; she wouldn't have done that! She continued, "What must have happened, and what I remember, are two different things. I don't remember anyone coming in. I remember waking up and —being hurt."

Luna spat, "Well, obviously Rei's 'magic spell' didn't have its intended effect. They were morons."

Serena shook her head. "How could I ever trust him again?" She rolled back over on her side. "I know —or I thought I knew, that we were supposed to have this beautiful future together. But everything I _really _know about him now...? I don't see it ever happening."

"Maybe he's sick," Luna considered out loud.

"And Rei?" Serena asked.

"And Rei," Artemis agreed sternly. "She acted foolishly. Worse than foolishly—"

"Foolishly enough," Luna interrupted, "that I actually considered that maybe Queen Serenity's hopes had been doomed to fail with those two idiots along for the ride. The Queen had good intentions, of course. But trust us, as we saw it all —Endymion would have never come close to hurting you. He died for you. And you for him."

Artemis added, "And Princess Mars had a very different personality; almost brooding. That one never would have acted so _impudently_!"

Serena whimpered again. "I can't believe I was such a 'problem' for them that they'd resort to _mind control_." She rolled onto her back. "My brain, it still feels like mush. I don't know what's real or not. I'm not sure what they've told me is truth, or lies. But mostly, I don't understand how Darien could have done .._that_. To me. To anyone."

.

.

"Oh he man-handled her some alright," Rei said. "But you'd never call it 'rape'."

"But then why'd you agree to erase it?" Lita asked. "She wanted him, he wanted her.."

"That's just the thing," Rei said. "He swore to me that she would die if she remembered what happened." Beat. "Oh yeah, originally, Darien was asking if I could literally make it not happen! He said he couldn't live with it. How could he walk by her and not want her, yadda yadda." She cleared the cobwebs: "Very pathetic."

.

.

.

**SORTIE ONE**

.

**ℵ**

.

"Now is the time," Saphir announced, opening a door into the other world with a wide sweep of his hand. "Remember, strike hard. Disappear. On my mark, we take a scout. Just one—"

"Or a masked man," the angry Queen Beryl smiled evilly.

Prince Diamond, who wouldn't be making this trip because of his infatuations, flew over to the horrible witch and bowled her over: "We succeed this time because our foibles are under control now."

Rebounding, transporting to the opening, Beryl sneered at the self-styled 'prince': "You're one to talk, from what I hear. —Fine. We'll make a little side wager, you and I. The one who goes after a former object of devotion _first_, that one takes the smallest Earth city and can't increase his holdings for at least a century."

Diamond, shivering at the thought, declared, "Nevermind your wagers. Just focus on the mission."

Saphir, eyes rolling, swept through the wormhole first, muttering, "Second chance, every advantage on our side, and we'll lose it yet if you keep this up."

.

.

Building after building went down, countless businesses destroyed in downtown Tokyo in a sudden sonic blast of darkness. Luna had moved to wake her charge, only to find the girl transformed and disappearing out the window.

Rei sensed it, woke the other girls. "You guys go; I'll be behind you—"

"Rei," Sailor Jupiter said, somewhat drunkenly, "You might be able to help us better here. I'm sorry." She and Sailor Venus headed downtown, leaving the broken Rei behind, headed slowly towards her fires.

Sailor Mercury and Sailor Moon arrived simultaneously, opposite each other. Mercury sighted the first of many droids, attacked with her Mercury Bubbles to pin him. The droid easily ducked her attack, but only to be hit by a flying rose: "EVIL DROID, YOU ATTACK BUILDINGS UNDER THE GUISE OF NIGHT! DIE LIKE THE COWARD YOU ARE!" And the droid flashed out of sight.

Luna, meanwhile, yelled at Sailor Moon as a droid approached her. "DO SOMETHING, SAILOR MOON!" Luna advised hurriedly.

Sailor Moon had grabbed her tiara as soon as she'd seen the droid, but then time seemed to stop. Images came unbidden to her mind;, she saw incredible destruction, children crying, stuck under the rubble, long after the droids were gone. Slowly, as if moving through Jello, she flung her tiara at the nearest droid, even as she heard Luna's warning. Even more slowly, as if she'd been drugged, she saw the droid disappear into dust; she wondered idly if Tuxedo Mask had come to her rescue, trying to forestall what he'd believed was her imminent demise.

Sadly, she pinched the air for her tiara —it wasn't there. In her stupor, she watched it fling through the air in another direction; it dusted another droid. Smiling inwardly, she lifted her hand again, still feeling as if she were moving in slow motion, but happier now as her tiara had taken on a power of its own and was changing her nightmarish vision of the screaming children into a beautiful city landscape again.

Only, the tiara still didn't return. Sailor Moon stepped forward, onto the ashes of the first droid she'd dusted. Looking down at the ash heap, she mentally envisioned her tiara slamming powerfully into more droids. Looking up now, she saw it sailing lightly back to her hand; and this time, when she reached up for it, it landed gently in her hand.

**Ç**

And time started moving again. She gasped for air; felt brimming over with power. When more droids appeared now, adrenaline kicked in and her heart started racing; once again, she started to speak her incantation of disapproval about android lifeforms, when her tiara took off again. The more droids she saw, the more easily her tiara bounced through them before returning to her. She hadn't even spoken yet; her tiara had done work before like never before, taking out five or six droids while the rest of the Senshi had worked together on one, and now a second one.

Luna yelled up, and Serena heard her, and looked up. She tossed her tiara almost nonchalantly as several more droids attacked her directly, but she paid attention to the dark hole above. She heard something.. she heard talking. Disturbing talking, though she couldn't discern the words. She started breathing hard. Angry, evil talking; then something about Sailor Mercury. Abandoning her tiara, Sailor Moon made a crazy, head-first dive towards Sailor Mercury.

.

Tuxedo Mask landed on the ground beside Sailor Moon and Mercury, just as Jupiter and Venus arrived looking quite harried. "What the hell are you doing," the troubled Tuxedo Mask shouted at Sailor Moon, grasping her Moon Tiara pointedly. "This thing's worth its weight in gold tonight, but you just abandoned—"

"They want Ami," Sailor Moon said sternly as she took back her tiara, and more droids appeared. More than she'd ever recalled seeing at one time. Or in a month of attacks total. While the droids had fled Mercury for the moment, they were destroying everything in sight! She stood and instinctively grabbed her brooch, preparing to throw her tiara: "GO AWAY!" she yelled.

And was nearly knocked backwards with the incredibly loud echo of her own words in her brain, sucking the breath right out of her lungs.

And the droids disappeared.

And Serena staggered, but remained standing. Shocked, but standing.

Sailor Jupiter, who had been rounding up her most powerful attack, was left dumbfounded at the sudden disappearance. "_Ow!_" she said, not having a way to release her power now. Eyes darting at Sailor Moon in shock. But they were all left mouths agape as Sailor Moon seemed to turn white and take off, straight for the black hole looming in the sky.

Sailor Mercury gasped, "Huh, that was easy —where's she GOING?"

Tuxedo Mask followed her instinctively. Or tried to. He made it to the top of a building that hadn't been demolished; yelled after Serena: "Sailor Moon!" She didn't slow; she darted higher still, even faster. And to his horror, the black hole started closing. Rapidly. He imagined her being captured; never seeing her again.

He ran and leaped off the building, and defying physics unlike ever before, was carried up quickly toward the hole himself. He caught a glimpse of Serena, willed himself to her mightily even as his arm muscles constricted and complained.

"GET AWAY FROM THERE!" Tuxedo Mask demanded in his own earth-shattering rumble.


	2. Chapter 2

**Negaverse Rising**

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**Chapter 2**

Saphir had barely had time to close up the wormhole "That's the Neo-Queen!" he shouted angrily.

"It was makeup!" Beryl shouted back. "I can't believe we've got a doldrum like you in charge! She made up a new look, or whatever they do "

Diamond, smiling in ecstasy, said, "Oh no, **_that_** was Neo-Queen Serenity."

Saphir made motions across the wormhole in an effort to guard against forced entry. Letting her, if it were _her_, into the Negaverse now would be worse than before. "We just have to re-evaluate. If she traveled back in time, there will be consequences for her as well."

Diamond, considering himself quite the authority on all things Serenity, laughed softly. "That's a very young 'Serenity', but not the actual woman herself traveled back in time."

Saphir, disgusted that his brother's affinity might actually prove useful, asked, "How do you figure?"

"The Neo-Queen would be in here now, '_healing us_'. That door wouldn't hold. This girl started out as a Sailor Senshi tonight, —believe me, I watched her every move. I _felt _it when she heard us; she immediately went to protect the prey. But she was surprised she heard us. And best of all, she has no idea who we are."

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Tuxedo Mask caught her as she fell towards him, towards the earth. He immediately moved back towards the earth, holding her tightly. He could feel his 'leap' turn into a hurtle, a wildly hurtling tumble. He fought for control, looking for anything he could aim for; land upon. A building came into view. He grasped at air mightily, hoping to control their fall. His lungs were bursting; he chanced a glance at his charge.

And faltered. He saw her hair was a brilliant white, nowhere near her normal golden locks. And she was completely naked. Her breasts were certainly larger than before. He couldn't process his thoughts; this was Serena, and yet it was not.

He listed hard right, then they started tumbling, over and over.

**Ç**

When he came to, on the ground, he panicked and looked around. His eyes landed on a now-dressed Sailor Moon, huddled over at a river. He got up and ran to her; he gently put his hands on her shoulders as he knelt beside her. "Are you okay—?"

She immediately reacted, shaking him off her and taking a leap away, then facing him down with a furious glare.

Darien, as he'd de-transformed at some point, was sacked. He regained himself. "What happened to you up there?" he asked, as Tuxedo Mask-y as he could in his everyday skivvies. He'd opted out of transforming back to Tuxedo Mask, since the danger was gone, and he didn't want to look like he needed a transform to speak to her. "You looked different! Your hair was white, Serena, and your transformation was ...somewhat _unusual_. —And you could _fly_! We've got to tell Luna!"

Sailor Moon glared at him, wounded: "Why are you here?"

Darien started to speak, but Sailor Moon interrupted him. "No, why are you HERE? Why did you follow me?"

"It's what I do," he answered, far more meekly than a self-respecting superhero should. "It's all I have." He swallowed. "You're all I have."

"You shouldn't have.." she said, voice cracking. Momentarily losing her way with his beautiful voice. She reminded herself quickly of his disgusting lies just hours earlier, and trying to reassert herself, she added, "You can't do this to me. Saving me one moment, wiping my memories the next."

Darien's anger rose; he interrupted: "This isn't about me, Serena! Something's going on with you and I'm—"

She interrupted, "I know you're going to show up when there's trouble. But pick another Senshi to save. Ami could have used it tonight. You and Rei have a connection, go with that. But leave ME alone. If I fall, let me go. Like you've been telling me all along to let YOU go!"

And she stomped off up in the air and disappeared.

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_SCHOOL_

Serena had brushed past Mina with a mere 'morning'. She didn't even look at Lita, and never saw Ami. She sat in her classes and ignored Melvin's jibing about her looking like she'd just rolled out of bed. In fact, she hadn't even gone to bed, so late was the last battle, and so upset she'd gotten after the fact.

She'd had no idea what had happened to her between the time she left the ground, and the time she woke up on the ground beside Darien, of all people. And when Luna harassed her about where she went after the battle, Serena had gone to the kitchen and started cooking breakfast, ignoring Luna until her mother got up, and then hanging with her mom until it was time to get to school. Early, for the first time in recent memory.

She got to lunch and opted to sit at an empty table. But Ami quickly took the seat beside her. "Want my biscuit?" Ami asked, offering no smile when Serena met her eyes.

"Yeah," Serena said softly, then grabbed at the food and gobbled it down with gusto. "Mmm, warm biscuits!" as she washed it down with milk.

Ami couldn't help but chuckle. Then, with an air of gravity, "Did you sleep at all last night?"

Serena shook her head, then started in earnest on her lunch. "Nope."

Ami nodded. "Me neither." Beat. "I couldn't believe all the droids that showed up last night."

"Yeah," Serena agreed hollowly. "When it rains it pours."

Ami said, "Well, actually I think the timing is too convenient to be a coincidence. The Senshi fall apart, and that very night we get 11 droids in that first count, then suddenly about 50 more..." Ami left off the fact that Sailor Moon had simply told that lot to 'go away', and they obeyed! "And then a universe portal."

A shiver went up Serena's spine; she glared at her plate, stopped eating. "Ami, I'm too tired to deal with this now. Luna's already tried. I just need to get through the day, and get some sleep."

Ami nodded, and started on her meal. After some more small talk, Ami saw Mina walk through the cafeteria, then witnessed Serena cringe and look away. Serena started to pick up her tray, but Ami put a hand on her wrist and said, "Serena, I was very angry at Rei last night. But I have to tell you, when she called me last month, she sounded ..._anguished_. I really believed that some kid had come into the temple and she was greatly concerned about him."

"Why are you telling me this, Ami? I don't blame you for anything," Serena said, firmly, hoping to end the conversation.

Ami said, "Rei sounded desperate. Like she thought _a crime_ had happened."

Serena cringed visibly on 'crime'. Looking straight ahead, she asked, "You don't think it did?"

Ami shook her head. "No, Serena." And when Serena looked at her, she said it again. "No. Certainly, they were wrong to erase your memories, especially after .._that_." Ami cleared her throat, hardly able to continue. But she had to. "I just want you to consider that their amateur efforts at erasing your memory is probably what made the actual _event_ seem so terrible. You can't possibly know what happened, Serena. And I don't want you to beat yourself up over things that you can't even remember."

When Serena didn't respond, but just stared into her plate some more, Ami continued quietly, "And you should know, I don't think Darien's going to stay away."

Serena's eyes widened; she started wondering if Ami, like the others, wanted to forgive Darien and Rei just to better fight the droids. She got dizzy in her paranoia, felt nausea pass over her. Leaned on the table for support.

Ami said quickly, "Oh Serena, you need some rest." She grabbed her arm, "Let's get to the infirmary; they'll send you home."

"I'm okay," Serena countered, secretly somewhat scared now to go back to her own bedroom. Especially if Ami thought Darien might come back there.

"Okay," Ami said apprehensively. She stood and helped Serena carry her tray, "I didn't mean to upset you more, sweetie. I guess I wanted to warn you that if he couldn't stay away from you when his rational mind told him to, there's no way he'll be able to do it now."

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_RINSE & REPEAT_

Two days passed quietly, then three. Serena had avoided her friends, Luna, and even her most common hangouts with an almost religious fever. She took to sleeping on the sofa in the living room, considering that safe from both home invasion and Luna's constant nagging. Serena didn't want to discuss the droids, or how to attack them, or most especially not be faced with Darien and Rei problem again. She really threw herself into her schoolwork, taking her afternoon time in the library, where nobody would ever suspect to find her.

On that third day, though, Serena was called into the guidance office. She squeezed her eyes shut as she walked the hall like a pirate's plank, thinking how she'd been so good at school the last few days, and NOW she gets in trouble. Could they know she's pregnant? Maybe they had detectors and they can't let her go to school anymore, or ..rumors! Maybe there were rumors started! Maybe one of her Senshi started the rumors to get her thrown out of school so she could focus on the droids more.

She was quite shaken up by the time she got in the office and sat down. She'd decided she'd just be quiet and hear whomever it was out this time. She glanced around waiting for her parents to come in.

And saw Darien standing at the wall, looking at her. Her breath caught. "What are you doing here?" she asked in a hoarse whisper.

Darien froze. They hadn't really been alone together since that fateful night. He hadn't seen her at all since the day she'd confronted them all at the temple. And now, she looked fine. He'd spent three days in hell; and she'd walked in looking like she'd been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Ready to go back into the classroom, get back to her giggling friends and test-failing.

Serena moved to stand, so he spoke quickly, with authority: "I needed to talk to you. In a safe ...where you'd feel comfortable." His voice broke. '_Where she couldn't easily leave_', he thought to himself.

Her eyes grew wide, and she seemed to be sucked deeper into her chair, like she was willing herself to disappear into the furniture. Darien realized he was holding his breath; forced himself to breathe. She met his stare with an expression he couldn't read. She looked at the door nervously, then at him again, and said anxiously, "What are you doing here, Darien?"

"It's the only way I could think to get you to talk to me," he glowered. "You're not sleeping in your room, you disappear when the school bell—"

She froze; stood. "_My ROOM?_" she spat out quietly, hyper-aware of the teachers milling about outside. "I told you to stay away, and you're still trying to break into _MY ROOM_?"

Darien held his arms out: "I just looked in!" he barked, defensively. "But yeah, I wanted to talk to you! We NEED to talk! This is all I could come up with!"

Serena crossed her arms, rolled her eyes, more in an attempt to control that water welling up in her eyes than to express frustration. Ami had been right; he wasn't going to let this go. She sat back down.

"Look," he said nervously, "I don't know how we got here, but I love you and I never stopped loving—" his voice broke again, betraying exactly how deep his emotions ran. He saw her eyes grow wide momentarily, as if his love were news to her. He took a deep breath and tried again. "If I could have it my way, Serena, we'd have never broken up. We'd be together; happy..." his voice cracked as he saw her tear up in the chair, look away from him.

Serena turned and hissed suddenly, "You _had_ it your way, Darien!" Glancing nervously back at the door, she continued, "You're the only one who HAD a choice!"

"Hear me out?" he begged, pleadingly, pacing towards her then stopping himself. "I was wrong. Everything I did was wrong. —But you trusted me at one point, right? I'd show up when you needed me?"

Serena crossed her arms and looked away. Absolutely not! She'd begged him, pathetically, like an idiot, for the whole last month just to talk to her, to take away a little bit of the pain he'd caused... She couldn't hardly breathe with the assault of memories choking her now.

He darted towards her with finality, dropped on a knee in front of her: "Serena, my premonitions about you have always been right! I could always sense when you were in danger. Last month, I started getting these terrible visions..."

Serena blanked her mind and turned slightly towards Darien. "Visions," she stated blankly. She had heard this the other day.

Darien shook his head. "I see how wrong I was now," he said, looking down. "I don't even want to tell you how bad they were—"

"I was dying," she said blankly. "I've already heard this."

He dared to look up at her. She wasn't listening to him. "You were **_dying_**, Serena, but everyone you knew, everyone you called out to, they were already gone. There was nobody left." Darien visibly winced at the memories. "And then a voice started telling me, over and over, that this was your future..." He closed his eyes, rattled by agony, but finished, "—because I was with you."

Serena swallowed hard; refused to believe him. Whispered fiercely: "_I'm sorry you had such a terrible vision_, _Darien_." He didn't look at her. So she continued, seething: "But I'd rather be THAT Serena than this one." She pushed her chair back from him, disgusted, and whispered, "I'm alone, NOW! ..and pregnant, NOW, and have lost all my friends, NOW! Guess your vision was RIGHT!"

Darien didn't take the bait; he moved towards her again and looked up at her: "Serena my vision was much worse than this! You have me," Darien said hopefully. "And all your friends! Your parents ...we're all here for you!"

"_I haven't told my parents I'm pregnant yet,_" she whispered back harshly. "My parents are going to _kill me_ when they find that out! And YOU saw how well the scout meeting went! Rei.. _invaded my mind_! AT YOUR REQUEST! Everybody's lying, attacking each other—"

"But it was all my doing, Serena! My mistake!"

"Who's arguing?" she asked incredulously.

"We can still fix it!" Darien pleaded, lunging forward and placing his hands on her legs. "I thought I was doing the right thing by letting you go, even though it was the last thing I wanted," —he burst out in a quiet sob, then dropped his head on her legs, inhaling her scent, reveling in the contact. Silently begging her not to push him away. "I didn't want to let you go. I just wanted to touch you... I couldn't stop touching you." He voice grew huskier; he rubbed her thighs, as if proving his point.

Serena held very still, scared by his impassioned pleas. She tried to push his head away. Darien looked up, grasped her hands in his: "The only thing I know how to do is love you. I love you. I love you Serena Tsukino, and I will always love you."

She bit back tears, shocked at how quickly things this little meeting had careened out of control; how quickly her heart threatened to change. He was still grabbing her hands, his face perilously close to her skin; and whenever she tried to move him away, he found a way to turn it to his advantage, like an octopus. She recalled meeting a youma much like this once, in another lifetime.

She had to hold her ground. With a near-quivering chin, she asked him, more softly than she wanted, "Darien, if any of that were true, why wouldn't you just _tell_ me?"

Darien kissed her hands, and when she jerked them away and tried to stand, his hands fell to her legs and massaged her thighs powerfully. He felt her hands on his head; he responded, kissing her thighs, grasping them passionately. "You have to forgive me. I need you Serena—" he said, then he looked up into her face, not ashamed to show his watery eyes. Moving his hands up over her skirt, to her waist. Grabbing her possessively, pulling her down to him.

Serena held him back, feeling the almost overwhelming force of his desire. She was angry at herself for actually being tempted to fall into his arms, to give in. Her bottom lip began to tremble against her will; she desperately squeaked out, "Darien everything's different now! We can't just—"

Darien's head dropped back into her lap, anguished, but his hands kept roaming up her waist. Along her sides. Back down her legs, roughly and possessively.

She put both her hands on the top of his head, not sure whether to push him away or hold him there, now trying desperately to control her own urges as well as his. "I'm SORRY," she emphasized, eyes closed, completely taken by his ministrations. Trying to fight her every instinct. "Darien please don't do this to me!"

Hands on her waist, Darien tugged her down, out of the chair. He kissed her shirt as she slipped out of the chair, into his arms. He landed kisses on her belly, between her breasts.

She kissed the top of his head, weeping quietly, miserably, as she fell slowly into his grasp; reveled in the secure grasp of the man she'd sworn off forever. He whispered, "I just want you to love me, Serena."

He reached up her back blindly; grabbed her hair at the base of her scalp; and pulled her down quickly, passionately covering her mouth with his, pulling her fully onto him. Controlling her head savagely with his hand, he leveraged her mouth wide open and delved in powerfully, bruising her lips with the sudden onslaught of his passion. She gasped for air, her tongue tangling vigorously with his in sweet release as the chair squeaked loudly away from them.

She was numb with ecstasy and confusion as Darien frantically explored her mouth with his own, hands nestled deep in her hair, twisting and pulling her further into his face. He quickly dropped a hand onto her breast, squeezing her nipple through the school uniform material as if he owned it; as if he owned her. Shocked, she pushed his gropey hand away; but didn't fight too hard when he pushed her arm back down to her side, giving him ample access to her body, which he didn't hesitate to take advantage of. He deftly put her on her back and slid down over her, breaking their kiss only long enough to perch his body fully over hers. She was shellshocked, her head was spinning, even as he planted kisses all over her face and down her neck, then moved quickly back over her mouth and devoured her whole.

Her protests ended; everything felt so right; so perfect. Whatever the question, the answer was wildly, passionately assaulting her mouth and face and neck with wet kisses and unspoken promises of love.

Darien's need overtook his rational thought; he wanted to feel Serena's skin against his, now. Prove to her his undying devotion. Join with her; be one with her. Love her. His hands pushed her skirt up so quickly, it barely registered until she felt him fumbling with his zipper. "_No, no, no..._" she moaned from all the passion that had swelled up in her. "Oh my God —NO! ... please don't! Please—!"

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Darien, stunned as if doused with cold water, rolled off her quickly. He turned his face from his temptation, but grasped her hand tightly. Blinking back emotion and trying to pull his thoughts together, he choked out a garbled apology, then turned to face her; kissed her hand that he held. He reached up for her face again, but this time, kissed her gently, then sat up. He helped her up, helped her arrange her clothes back. Unfortunately, he noticed she was still breathing hard; and how she flushed as he stared at her swollen lips.

Standing, towering over her small frame, he held her and looked into her eyes. "This is how it started that night," he said huskily without a trace of a smile. "I can't stop myself from touching you."

Serena stared at him, breathing raggedly. She merely nodded.

He wrenched her face back to his, kissed her deeply again. He felt her hands on his chest; felt her push him away. Fought the temptation to break her arms off— "I need you," he said huskily. "Don't push me away."

She breathed hotly onto his mouth, "We can't do this here..."

"We won't," he promised. "Just kiss me," and he shut her up with a passionate kiss. It was so easy; his mouth blended into hers, lighting them both on fire. He could feel her responses, her ragged breathing; her body starting to grind against his, making their clothes seem like the only hurdle they'd ever have to overcome.

He carried her over to a sofa, still not breaking their raw, passionate kiss. As he lowered them to the sofa, Darien rubbed his hands blindly over her school uniform until they found her breasts. He touched her passionately, kneading and fondling her chest as he coaxed her kisses relentlessly, needing her to want more.

When she placed her tiny hands over his, it wasn't to stop his rough handling, but to encourage further exploration. She wanted his touch more than she could have imagined; felt dizzy with passion; and possessively held his hands on her chest. When he pulled up and smiled at her, her hands pulled his face back to hers, and she let her tongue explore his sweet-tasting mouth, audibly groaning her satisfaction into him.

When he relaxed back against the sofa, he moved his hand behind her head to hold her still, then kissed her face, teased her neck his air-brush kisses. She relaxed into his embrace and soft kisses, whispering his name softly as she tried to kiss him back. But when he moved his other hand down from her breast, and gently pushed her legs apart, she squirmed fretfully. He moved his leg over her leg to keep her still, and immediately moved his kisses back to her protesting mouth. He kissed her powerfully again, having to mount her to keep her calm, not letting up until she flung her arms back around his head and kissed him back with equal fervor.

This time he moved her legs apart with a knee, and she opened willingly to him, wrapping her legs around his, sending spasms of ecstasy through him like none he'd ever felt before. Her need was greater than even their first night, and he intended to make that need last forever. Darien pushed his raging erection between her willing legs, and she grabbed his face and arched her hips madly up into him; his lungs filled with her high-pitched moaning and begging. He lifted his body off her only to thrust against her more realistically ..he wanted her so bad he considered transforming to Tuxedo Mask just to free himself for the few seconds he needed—

When Serena stopped suddenly, looking around madly, he would have none of it; he grabbed her face and wrenched her mouth open again. Her loud moaning into his mouth set his mind exploding with passion, so much he was even more desperate to get inside her before he had an accident in his pants...

Serena pushed hard against his chest, conflict brewing as her hazy mind fought her instincts. As he looked at her questioningly, hurt, she gently grasped his face with both hands, rubbing a thumb over his lips. He kissed the thumb, then suddenly glared at the door. Someone was banging furiously.

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Darien moved to straighten himself up, then quickly pulled Serena up to sitting position. He grabbed her face, then yelled out, "Coming!" and kissed her one last time, afraid it would be for the last time. He worried that she might consider this illicit tête-à-tête an error in judgment, and indeed she was near tears in embarrassment, jerking her clothes back into position and standing as he bound to the door. He quickly unlocked the door with one last look back at her.

Serena's head fell as she turned away and tried desperately to pull herself together. "I've got to go back to class," she coughed out huskily, confused.

Biting her lip in frenzied worry, Serena turned back towards the door just as the school secretary burst in: "—and that door should** never** be locked, Mr. Chiba! Allegations of improper conduct could be made!"

Darien blushed furiously — he'd set the door to lock automatically before Serena came in, knowing he might need all the extra help he could get to keep her in the room; he'd never expected to need the lock to keep the teachers from bursting in on them in heated passion! Darien quickly presented a crumpled test paper out of his back pocket. "She knew all the answers," he said, glancing at Serena with what be characterized as shame.

The secretary slapped the paper out of his hand, uncrumpled it rudely and glanced over it like she was actually interested, when in truth she was worried more about what the principal would say if he ever heard about this Monitor locking himself into a school office with a middle school student. Composing herself, she held tight to the paper and said, "I'm glad to hear that. Ms. Tsukino usually doesn't get good enough grades to even be _questioned_ about this sort of thing."

Darien took the exam paper back with feigned authority. "Which is _precisely_ why this score was suspect," he said, just as flustered as he looked despite his attempts to look calm. "But I'm perfectly satisfied with her knowledge." He added hastily: "—of this test material." He swallowed hard. "Thank you. —Sorry about the door," he mumbled finally as he awkwardly nodded at Serena and left the room.

Serena's legs were numb. The secretary was standing before her, asking her if she were okay. Speaking for the school formally, the secretary said, "I can't express how sorry I am that you were LOCKED IN here with that young man! I'm sure it was an accident, but if anything improper transpired...?"

"No!" Serena recovered, blinking tears away. "He just asked me a bunch of questions, and I ..I was just afraid he would fail me out of school!" she sputtered as she hurriedly left the room. She ran to the bathroom, fighting the temptation to leave the school and run straight back into Darien's arms again. An image flashed through her mind of she and Darien making out on the sidewalk immediately outside the building, and she blanched white, tried to catch her breath. She launched herself into the first stall and leaned back against the door, gasping in horror at what she'd almost allowed to transpire.

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_HEALING_

**_大_******

**_._**

Rei moved slowly through the temple, trying to maintain her composure around the fires as she swept up the dust. She hadn't been to school in days; she barely had the energy to tidy the temple, much less get to school. The loss of her brooch was bad enough; the loss of her friends, unbearable.

So she was quite startled when she reached her broom behind the monstrosity of the fire pit and saw Serena there, curled up into a ball, hiding. "Serena!"

Serena looked up at Rei. Looked away. "He came to the school today," she said slightly.

Rei stood there, staring down on her former friend. "Darien?" she asked, quickly followed by, "Are you okay?"

Serena shook her head. "No," she said, shaking. "He pretended to be some kind of school official. Had me called into Guidance."

Rei knelt beside her, thinking the worst. "Want some tea, Serena?" Beat. "You're shaking. You need some tea."

Serena waited for her former best friend to bring her something soothing. She had hated Rei so much, but Rei had always been in her corner. _Until recently_. And had always known what to do about things.

After Rei brought her the tea, she knelt before Serena and asked softly, "What happened?"

Serena sipped the tea, still shaking enough to send the hot drink swirling violently around the cup. "He started ...he ..._we almost had sex_ Rei."

"At school?" Rei asked, shocked, but most especially at the 'we' implication.

Serena closed out tears, drank the tea deeply. "I —I asked him why he came, and he said he wanted to talk. I wasn't going to stay! —but they thought he was the Exam Monitor so it's not like I had much choice!"

"That guy has some serious issues," Rei muttered. She took Serena's cup and poured her more tea. "Here, _SIP_ it this time. The effect is in how you drink it, as much as in what you drink."

Serena nodded at first, but then burst into tears. Set the tea down before her and said. "I'm so confused! I wasn't ready to see him yet."

Rei hugged Serena tightly, patting her back. Shushing her. "Did he hurt you Serena?" she asked with all seriousness.

"No," Serena whispered. "He just wouldn't stop. The moment I agreed to hear him out, he..." Serena's eyes went wide at the memory. "He had his head in my lap, and was kissing my legs and —oh my God Rei, he pulled me down and he didn't just kiss me, Rei! He KISSED me. And—" she pushed away from Rei. "I don't know; everything happened so fast!"

Rei nodded. She remembered well how quickly Darien had moved on Serena the night she'd tried to remove from Serena's memory. Darien didn't seem to have a middle ground.

"And I wanted him!" Serena continued. "I wanted everything to just .._go back!_ To how it was! Not just with him, but with you, and with me! Like how it was before.. before that night happened." Serena bit her lip. "I didn't want him to come near me, but—" she blushed furiously. "...we ended up in the floor and he was trying to tear my clothes off and ..and I don't know where my mind went!"

Rei picked up the tea and handed it back to Serena. "Good. Try the tea again." Beat. "That IS the worst of it, right? No actual SEX happened?"

Serena shook her head 'no', then sipped the tea. "I think it almost did, but we were interrupted, and ..he almost didn't stop, Rei! I had to pound on his chest to stop him!" Serena started shaking again, and Rei soothed her; pushed the teacup back to Serena's mouth. Serena drank deeply again, then added, "I was so afraid someone was going to bust the door down, and he didn't even hear it! —and now I know the next time I see him I'm going to have to have sex with him but he never really explained anything!"

Rei shook her head. "You don't HAVE to do anything, Serena."

But Serena shook her head. "Rei, he said it was just like that night, that everything was happening just like that night, and Rei if that's true there's no way I could stop him—!"

"Slow down, Serena," Rei cautioned.

Serena nodded. Took a deep breath. Tried to order her thoughts. "I want to forgive him Rei but—", she burst into tears. Cried, "I haven't even told my parents I'm pregnant yet. I was going to get good grades, and prove to them I'm not a bad girl! I looked it up," she said thoughtfully, "and I know I shouldn't start showing for a few more months although it'll be summer so maybe I can just wear some of those big dresses and nobody will know the better?"

Rei took the tea and hugged her again: "Serena, **shut up!** You didn't do anything wrong! _I'll _tell your parents with you if you want, okay? They'll understand!" She pushed Serena back, looked at her: "And if they don't want you, you could move in here with me. Promise."

Serena shook her head; cried again. "I don't _want_ to leave home, Rei! I don't want my parents to hate me!" She wiped her eyes. "And ...I really thought Darien was done with me." She pressed her hand over her forehead as if to battle a headache, "I wasn't expecting him to show up at school! I don't know what he wants!"

"C'mon, Sere he wants you," Rei said quietly. "Knowing Darien, he's probably talking to your parents now." Rei thought about how Darien seemed to do what Darien wanted, and used his feigned innocence and puppy dog eyes to get his way. And then considered how he got Serena into this much trouble to begin with. Rei spat out, "He's such an idiot sometimes. He just doesn't _THINK_!"

At Serena's confused, and somewhat bemused, glance, Rei spat out, "I hate to say it, Sere, but for a man his age to not be able to stop himself without strapping on a condom... I don't know, I half suspect he WANTED to get you knocked up. He's just not thinking right these days. —As I'm sure you've figured out by now."

Serena drifted back to her experience with Darien earlier; could almost feel his hands on her. She cleared her mind forcefully; shook her head of the cobwebs. Drank the tea. "Rei," Serena said, "I'm so scared that if I take him back, he's going to change his mind again."

Rei chortled, "Yeah, he could get another dream."

"I'd never be able to explain that to Mama and Papa! —or Shingo! ...Or myself!" Serena whispered conspiratorially.

"Serena, I don't think he changed his mind the first time," Rei said. "He did what he _THOUGHT_ was the right thing. When he showed up on my doorstep that night, he was convinced he'd already KILLED you." She rolled her eyes. "I kid you not." Rei grimaced, then added, "He told me all about that prophecy thing —I know you don't want to hear this, but it probably _was_ the right thing to break things off with you, at least until he figured out what the vision meant." Seeing Serena's eyes flash with anger, Rei added quickly, "—except he should have _TOLD _us all about his vision. Your welfare is _our _business."

"Why didn't he?" she asked, as she remembered that she'd asked Darien that very thing, and he'd never answered her. "I don't understand anything he's done!"

Rei shrugged. "He was afraid you'd talk him out of it." She thought for a moment, then laughed wryly. "Wouldn't have been too hard. He talked _himself _out of it, obviously."

Serena stared wide-eyed at Rei.

Rei asked, "But what if those visions ARE prophecies, Serena? What if everyone you know and love will die BECAUSE you are with him? You know that would include him, as well as everyone else." Rei shrugged. "I thought what you told him the other night made a lot of sense. About your destiny being fulfilled...?"

Serena nodded morosely. "I thought that was true; I didn't think he really wanted me. He'd spent all this time making it clear he didn't want me." She bit her lip, stifled a sob: "When I found out I was pregnant, and remembered that ..that *_nightmare_*, and how I'd felt his presence, I just accepted that's how he could hate me and yet have a future with me." —Her eyes widened suddenly, and she said, "He could be doing all this just _because_ I'm pregnant." She hadn't considered that earlier; her heart fell.

Rei looked at the girl blankly. "Serena. You _can't_ be serious. I know it's been a bad week, but even YOU could tell the difference between desire and ..'_duty_'!" Smiled, "Come on! I know you can't remember that night clearly, but it sounds like you got a good taste of it today." When Serena didn't respond, Rei added, "From what _I_ saw? The way he went after you that first night? Re-LENT-less. If you weren't pregnant yet, you would be soon. He has no self-control."

"But he wasn't ever like that before!" Serena complained. "I used to have to beg him to just kiss me goodnight!"

"Well, duh! Who can get around the fact that he's so much older than you are? Destiny or no, you're in junior high, Serena! You're *hopefully* going into 9th grade next year, and he's nearly old enough to be TEACHING 9th grade. Really, he should have kept his distance a few more years."

Serena sighed, then blushed. She whispered with slight embarrassment, "He made me feel things today I've never felt before, Rei." She closed her eyes at the memory.

Rei caught the wistful look. Grumbled, "Oh Good Lord Serena! It's called being horny! Wanting sex! You can't let that affect your judgment! You have to be able to think clearly around him; stand up for yourself, like you did the other night!" Even though it had been such a terrible night for Rei, she'd managed to feel extreme pride in Serena. It was the first time she'd seen the civilian Serena Tsukino as the Princess they'd been charged with protecting. Smiling, Rei said, "When you swore you'd never let him touch you again, I SAW the Moon Princess in you Serena!" Then she added quietly, "But now you're acting like you're ready to jump _HIM_!"

Serena nodded miserably; sipped tea without being told. She took a deep breath. "Today, I wanted to leave the room immediately, the minute I saw him. I just wasn't ready to see him one-on-one like that. I knew I'd have to face him one day, ..but not *_today_*!" Serena blinked away embarrassed tears: "—But he begged me not to leave. To hear him out. He just looked so sad!"

"And you felt sorry for him," Rei smiled wryly.

"I did," Serena said. "But I did tell him, Rei. I told him I was confused, and didn't know how to make things right. And it went from that to .._making out_."

Rei quipped, "Sex makes things right to guys."

Serena shook her head. "I have so many questions still. I don't know what he expects from me!"

Rei deadpanned: "Sex."

Serena burst into tears.

Rei quickly suggested, "Maybe you could talk to him on the phone." She emphasized, "Long distance."

Serena quieted. Smiled. Giggled a little. After a moment, she sighed, "I have to be able to face him one day."

Rei said, "Yeah, AFTER you speak with him about everything else you're concerned about. Because otherwise he's going to do what guys do, and think sex will smooth everything over." Rei thought a second. Then, "Want me to get him on the phone—?"

"No!" Serena jumped, spilling the tea entirely.

"Okay okay okay," Rei said again, surprised how jittery Serena seemed. "You do love him, right? Want to be with him?"

Serena shrugged, helping the shrine maiden mop up her spilled tea. "I haven't really had time to think about it. He was pushing me away so hard these few last weeks, all I could think about was getting him to love ME again! And then I found out he hurt me. I think I really *_hated_* him, Rei." She sighed. "It's just, _today_. Today, he said he wanted me and told me not to push him away."

Rei nodded, sitting back with her against the wall. "You need longer than an hour to sort things through. Unfortunately, you also need to hear him out, to see if his answers mean anything to you."

.

.

.

"Serena, where are you," Darien asked, clearly irritated, knowing full well she'd been avoiding him all day. She'd left school early; he'd been waiting for her. She hadn't gone home; he'd watched for her. She wasn't at his apartment.

Then she called his house phone.

"I'm at Rei's," she said.

Darien shut his eyes. "I'll come get you," he said, wondering if she'd felt it necessary to make up with Rei before being with him.

Pause. "Okay," Serena breathed into the phone, making his head spin wildly in anticipation. Then she said, "No ..no wait, Darien. I'm not ready."

"You're not ready for what?" he asked. "Serena, —I thought we'd worked things out! You said you couldn't be with me at the school... Of course, you were right, and I never should have put you in that position. But I want to —I need to see you now. Please..."

"Me too," she said quickly. "Darien, I do!"

"Tonight," he pushed, still ready to toss the phone down and speed over to Rei's to get her. "Will you stay with me Serena?"

Serena pushed the phone into her lap, blinking back tears. Whispered to the girls: "He wants me to stay with him tonight."

"Oh give me the phone," Rei said. She took the phone. "Darien? Rei. Yes she loves with with undying love and all that mumbo jumbo. She wants to be with you. But she's young and she's scared and you're making it WORSE, not better. .._.Serena!_"

Darien heard the girls scrambling for the phone; he crossed his legs and rolled his eyes, waiting. When one of the girls got on, he immediately said, "May I please talk to Serena."

"You are," Serena said, quite breathlessly. "I'm sorry. Are you going to leave me again?"

Pregnant. Pause.

Darien said, "No."

Another long pause ensued. Darien closed his eyes, waiting. Hoping she'd believe him. Planning to hunt her down and make her believe him if she hung up now.

Serena finally said, so softly he could barely hear her, "You hurt me."

Darien said, "I know. And I can't make it up to you, Serena, I know that. But I want to try. I want you to let me try."

He thought it sounded like she was crying. She gasped into the phone, "Why did you break up with me?"

Darien's mind rushed with those dark images again. He slowly, calmly said, "I told you about the dreams, Sere." He had to push them away even now, to stay focused. "A sage voice told me I would ruin your life if I didn't stay away from you." He cleared his throat.

"Why didn't you then?" Serena asked.

"I couldn't," Darien gasped out, like he'd been stabbed. "I failed. I can't stay away from you. Do you want me to? To stay away?"

"No," she said quickly. "But I wouldn't have wanted you to last month, either. That was your choice. And—" her voice broke, "I'm not sure it wouldn't be your choice again. I don't want to keep getting hurt, over and over."

Darien waited a moment, overcome with sorrow. He finally said, "Rei pointed out it was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Serena, I **don't** think she's right. I think I saw a real vision. A painful vision. —But I realize I've done more harm to both of us, to everyone, by trying to change the future the way I did."

He didn't hear anything on the other end.

He continued, "My way was doomed to fail. I see that now. And if anything, I've sped things up, wouldn't you say? You're not only going to be my wife; you're going to be my wife a lot sooner than either of us expected or hoped. And I'm _TERRIFIED _that I might have brought an evil future even closer to you." And that was, in fact, completely honest. "But if it comes true, even it comes true sooner, at least in your final moments you can look back on our lives and know I was by your side."

"_Wife?_" Serena asked breathlessly, somewhat hypnotized by his words.

"I'm ready to marry you right now. There's not a question in my mind that I want to be with you. As long as I can. I want our baby. And after we have this baby, I'm going to get you pregnant again, and fill our lives with sons and daughters that will surround you with all the love you deserve, Serena." Beat. "I still want to help you avoid a dismal future. But it won't be by leaving you again. My promises might not be worth much to you now, but we'll figure out what those visions mean together, Serena." Pause. "If you want, of course."

Darien had to ask if Serena was still there. She wasn't so sure about the babies part, but finally said, "Yeah."

He whispered, "I'm on my way. We'll figure it out when we get back here."

Serena paused. Breathed. "You know what's going to happen when we get back there."

Darien chuckled, darkly. "Oh, yeah. You'll see what happens when you play cat-and-mouse like this with me."

.

.

.

**浤**

Darien marched through the temple doors, focused on one thing. And it wasn't Lita. "Where is she, Lita?"

"Luna called a meeting, Darien. I'm ..._sorry!_" she blushed furiously, almost giggling.

Darien growled, "Yeah, you look sorry," and brushed past the giant and into the main temple room. He saw the object of his desire staring at him from across the room and made a beeline to her—

Stopped short by the cat. "I said, _SIT!_" Mina's angry cat growled at him halfway through the room. Darien moved past the cat, towards Serena, and took her hand gently, taking a seat beside her.

Serena felt Darien's hand loop around her back possessively, and squeezed her tightly to him. She blushed furiously, and was pulled against him impossibly closer. She stared at Luna, trying desperately to ignore the awkward situation.

Darien whispered huskily into Serena's ear: "You arrange this little meeting to put off _the inevitable_?" Nipped her earlobe.

Shivers ran down Serena's spine. She leaned against him even more closely, hoping it drove him just as crazy as he was driving her. Which apparently it did, as it elicited an almost audible groan from Darien.

Luna tossed the brooch to Rei. "If you take it, understand the next time you misuse it, you'll lose the crystal. Forever."

A silence hung over the room. Mina cleared her throat. "We're all together again. We're responsible for each other from now on."

"You must be," Artemis glowered at his charge. "We think we're dealing with a threat that is .._unusual_."

"Somebody who has fought us before," Luna said.

Lita shrugged, "We've whipped everyone we've fought before."

Serena tensed; Darien felt it. "What is it?" " he asked, damnably close to her ear, sending even more shivers down her spine.

Luna glanced at Serena, then demanded, "You saw them? During the last attack?"

"You said it was somebody who's fought us before," Serena stated, slightly shaky, although more because of Darien's arms around her than the 'black hole' enemies. Clarifying, she added, "Not somebody _we've_ fought before."

"Exactly " Luna started.

"_What?_" Lita asked. "That makes no sense! How have we fought them before without knowing it?"

Ami agreed with Lita, "If you mean someone from the Silver Millennium, Luna, they wouldn't know our identities or capabilities _now_. Beryl and her minions sure didn't."

Luna continued. "These enemies know *_us_* well, not our Silver Millennium counterparts. And we don't know them. Artemis and myself have racked our brains trying to piece together who this enemy might be. We're at a loss. About the only thing we've ruled out is the Negaverse, since we have memories of them, and there are no youma to fight now."

Rei said, "And the Negaverse is gone," then finished reattaching her brooch. Her power-up was in place; she felt herself return, but unfortunately she felt a dread unlike any she'd felt before. Her fires, near where Darien and Serena were sitting now, exploded in a sudden plume of energy.

"Sorry!" Rei quipped, then moved quickly to her fires. "Something's wrong," she said with sudden seriousness, staring into the Sacred Fire.

Ami's scanner was recording the strange fire, then the scanner dropped —and melted! Ami stepped back, shaken. "Rei?" she asked uncertainly, "You haven't sworn allegiance to any dark forces lately, have you?"

Rei rolled her eyes, but it was Luna who said, "Her fires are just a tool, Miss Mizuno. They're telling the priestess what we've all been feeling, I'd presume." Then, with renewed interest, she turned back to Serena and prompted, "Serena, you were saying?"

Serena was staring into the fires along with Rei. "There was a man," she started, then turned to Luna. "He seemed ..._familiar_. As I got near him, the portal closed. But his name.." she shrugged. "a '_Prince Diamond_' I think. He has a crescent moon on his forehead. Like mine, but _black_. I really felt like I knew him." She bit her bottom lip, completely unable to explain the fleeting thoughts she'd experienced trying to approach the universe portal. "—There were others that seemed familiar, too." When she glanced up at Luna, she said, "Luna, are you okay?"

The cat's hair had stood on end: "A _black _crescent moon?" she asked. "From _this _universe?"

Serena suddenly grew uneasy as every eye turned to her inquisitively. "I .._don't know_!" she complained.

Artemis jumped up and glared at Serena and Darien: "Who _else_, Serena? WHO ELSE?"

Serena felt Darien grab her hand; she grasped it back. The cats were scaring her. "_I don't know!_ I didn't actually SEE anyone anyway! It wasn't like that!"

Darien, danger senses rising meteorically now, suddenly turned Serena to face him: "Who else?"

Serena shook her head. "I don't know!" Pause. "I remember they had a bunch of ...of _gemstone_ names — Sapphires and Rubies and ..I don't know, _Emeralds?_! Stuff I learned in earth science!" She shifted away from Darien's grasp: "Darien, you're hurting me!"

Darien released his vice grip on her arms; patted down her shirt. Something tickled at the back of his mind, something just out of reach. Something foreboding.

Luna hissed, "Which is another thing we need to discuss Mr. Chiba, it's open knowledge that you had premonitions to stay away from Serena. Premonitions you're obviously ignoring now—"

Darien wanted to stomp the cat: "I've apologized for my actions a thousand times, Luna. I'll keep apologizing if that's what you want—"

"I don't care about your _apologies_," Luna stated coldly. "I care about THE SOURCE of your premonitions. And if they were accurate or not, the _consequences _have been quite monumental, all things considered." As she and Artemis had discussed at length, Chiba had been a different beast before the vision, before the breakup. Now Serena was pregnant, and the Senshi had turned viciously on each other just a few nights ago. The very night an army of droids showed up. "So many things seem to come right back to your premonitions."

Ami agreed with a nod, and Mina jumped on the bandwagon: "I know. I'm sorry Serena, but I think the premonitions were not only real, but a warning."

Darien lost control: "You think I should leave her? Leave the group?"

Luna said, "You tried. And you failed. The question remains, are you still having your nightmares?"

Darien stopped short. "Um. No." Serena turned on him, questioningly. Darien continued, "They stopped when I broke up with you." Then, as Luna started talking again, Darien added, "No, wait! They didn't stop until ..." He cringed. "The night Serena and I were together. And I came here and got Rei to help remove that memory from Serena."

"But you," Artemis charged, "were suffering with your premonitions! Did Ms. Rei try to remove a anything from YOUR memories?"

Darien said, rather coldly, "I wouldn't have risked it."

Artemis asked Rei: "Is it possible you ..accidentally wiped Darien's premonitions?"

Rei shook her head: "Absolutely not. Serena was asleep, so accessing her thoughts was fairly simple." She looked at Serena again. "I'm so sorry." Then back at Artemis, " But Darien, he wasn't only awake, he —the fires couldn't reach into his mind at all. I was repelled at every attempt!"

Darien startled: "You ATTEMPTED?"

Rei shied away. Mumbled, "You were so upset, Darien!" More clearly, she added, "I wanted to see your premonition for myself..." She turned back to Artemis: "But again, his mind was entirely closed to the fires."

Darien settled down; and agreed. "I still remember the premonitions just fine. They just stopped coming after that night. I had guessed that Rei was successful with Serena's memories, and we had successfully changed the future." Looking back at the girl in his arms, he sadly added, "I was afraid the premonitions would come back if I didn't stay away from you." He softly kissed her forehead.

"They haven't come back, though?" Serena asked softly, thinking she'd better cherish every moment that he held her.

"No," Darien said gruffly into her hair, squeezing her more tightly to him.

Lita broke in, "They haven't had a chance! You've only been on speaking terms a few hours!"

Serena definitely felt shock when Darien eased off her a bit. The whole room turned silent.

Luna broke into the silence that had fallen on the room. "I know it's been a long day. A long three days. But we've got one more topic to discuss; the most disturbing one, probably."

Ami said, "Serena's power up."

Serena closed her eyes.

Darien spoke: "There's that."

Mina asked quietly, "I mean, I'm happy you can eradicate all droids with a '_go away_' command, Sere, but how?"

"I don't know." She sighed, "I'm not even sure I did that. The droids didn't dust; they just .._went away_." Serena fidgeted. "The tiara — that was different. As soon as I threw it at the first droid, it's like time stopped. I watched it hit the droid and dust it, and I really had to work to move my hand to catch the thing again. Then it didn't come to me. It had a mind of its own, and went on to hit another droid." She shivered. "I didn't do any of that stuff, at least not on purpose. I couldn't even really move again until it was back in my hand." Uncomfortably, even with embarrassment, she said, "I didn't like the feeling at all."

Lita said, hollowly, "I hope I don't get a power-up like that."

Luna ignored all that, though, and started asking questions, rapid-fire, "How'd you get the tiara back?"

Serena said, "It came back—"

"Did you will it back? Say something—?"

"I don't know!" Serena complained. "No?"

"How did you sense your enemies through a universe portal?"

Serena looked surprised, then asked, "Didn't YOU tell me it was there?"

Luna was brought up short. Said, "Absolutely not. I was headed to Ami to see if she could get a read on it."

Serena stared at the cat, unbelieving. "Luna, I wouldn't have looked up if you hadn't TOLD me." She looked at Rei, momentarily wondering if Rei had played with Luna's memories.

Darien said, "Luna thought it; you heard it." After recalling how she had closed his throat a few nights ago, he wasn't too surprised to learn she might hear her cat's thoughts during a battle. "—Or maybe you sensed them up there?"

"I don't know!" Serena said, under pressure. She glared at Darien: "_LUNA told me!_"

In the awkward silence, Darien pushed Serena away gently, turned her to face him. "Transform."

Serena felt like a lab rat; she scrunched up her nose and asked, "What?"

"You had a different transformation when you went up to the portal, Serena," Darien said. "I saw it. We need to see it to know what we're dealing with."

He loosed her arms and backed away. She shrugged uneasily, but acceded to his demand. Touching her brooch wearily, she started to say her incantation —but her brooch exploded with the touch, and she was immediately transformed. She inspected her Sailor Moon transformation suspiciously. She looked up at Darien. "Well, that's new!" Sailor Moon exclaimed.

Luna gasped: "Look at her brooch!"

"What is it—?"  
"It's different!"  
"Where's the Silver Crystal?"

Sailor Moon stared in horror at the trinket, mesmerized by the new, brighter but smaller, sharper crystal in the brooch. It was like a shard of her old crystal, stuck into a hollowed out shell of the Silver Crystal. She scrunched up her nose and complained, "But I just saw the Silver Crystal; touched it! This isn't mine!"

Luna wasn't looking at the crystal though; something else caught her eye. A white flash from the crescent moon on her forehead, and maybe something like lightening underneath the girl's hair. Spooked, Luna suddenly demanded, "Detransform NOW, Serena!" and took off running at Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon shook her head, "Why?"

Luna leaped at her charge, grabbed the girl's hand as they tumbled awkwardly to the ground. Luna shoved Serena's hand on the brooch and yelled, "DETRANSFORM NOW!"

A series of things happened just before Sailor Moon's hand touched the brooch: Serena's hair flashed brilliant white; Serena glowed like a white hot fire; Serena's Sailor Scout ribbons blew off her in a jumbled heap on the floor; Luna was thrown forcefully across the room; and finally, Serena was detransformed, but NAKED, and left visibly shaken and weakened.

The girls rushed on her, Rei automatically draping a blanket over her both for modesty and warmth. Luna arose and rushed over; observed the dismantled ribbons.

Serena's crystal in her brooch was back to the regular Silver Crystal.

Luna stared, horrified. Ami's computer finally beeped; and she read, "'Unknown' on the smaller crystal. —Luna, have you ever heard of an _unknown_ crystal?"

"I don't believe so," Luna intoned, watching as Darien picked up the blanket-clad teen and stared angrily at the ruined Sailor Moon ribbons on the floor. Luna continued, "I've never seen a detransform quite like that, either, even when forced by the enemy!"

Artemis noted, "Well, 'Unknown' goes well enough with the unheard of '_Prince Diamond_' and his gemstone friends."

Ami added, "And that fits with Darien's premonitions. His visions used to be more immediate, but now they're presumably from the future." Ami paused, and smiled at her own deductions: "Our enemies must be from the future! And maybe Serena's strange, 'Unknown' crystal is hers; it's just from the future, as well! Is it possible she's NOT Sailor Moon anymore?"

"I'm not a Senshi?" Serena asked, clearly upset. Darien pulled her closer to comfort her with some quiet words, but she was having none of it. She scrambled down, grasping the blanket around herself tightly.

Artemis insisted, "We don't know that," and glared at Ami. "Of course you're still Senshi!"

Rei, who'd picked up the Sailor Moon ribbons, stuffed them in a nearby bin and said, "Absolutely! Sere, I've got some clothes upstairs you can use, if you want to follow me?"

.

.

.

After the two girls left the room, everybody's fake smiles dropped, and Luna growled, "I don't like this at all. That CRYSTAL was her mother's crystal; it's been the same for thousands of years! But now it's different? There is something seriously wrong here."

Lita suggested, "Maybe we aren't supposed to transform when we're knocked up?"

Darien, overcome with anger that he'd been trying to hide, put forth quietly to the group: "What if this all came from me? She was FINE before I went in to her that night. What if her deformed crystal is due to me somehow?"

Mina said, softly, "If it is, there's nothing we can do about it." Beat. "Unless you want to crush her again with another breakup."

Darien glared at Mina: "This is everything I tried to avoid. I never meant to hurt her at all; now I'm destroying her!"

Artemis offered, "I wouldn't say that at all, Mr. Chiba. She looks perfectly healthy to me. —Of course, maybe we should ask her to not transform until we can figure out what's going on?"

Mina shot back at her cat, with as much mirth as Mina had ever drummed up, "Look, I love Serena and want the best for her, too, but we've been struggling with these droids enough as it is without being one short! Especially not HER! That tiara was dusting droids left and right the other night!"

Even as Lita agreed, Darien angrily shot back, "You SAW what happened to her tonight, Mina! She can't control her transformations! She could end up doing us more harm than good if we aren't careful! What if she can't transform back one time? What if she just passes out during a battle?"

Mina argued, "That didn't happen until Luna jumped her!"

Luna said, "I had her detransform for a reason. She was starting to transform into something else, and it didn't look safe at all. I'm afraid I'm more inclined to agree with Mr. Chiba here. The rest of us are going to have to pick up the slack until we can figure out what's going on with her." Beat. "We can't risk her life to battle droids, when we're capable of doing so ourselves. We'll ask her to stay on the sidelines; transform only in an emergency. Until we can get a better handle on this."

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**_CODA_**

Darien wanted to sling the damned crystal off Serena and out of the car and be done with it for good. Serena was quiet; sullen. Still weak, he imagined.

He drove furiously toward his apartment: "Call your mom?"

Serena looked up, dazed, "Hours ago, from Rei's."

"Good," he mumbled. Then, "You haven't eaten."

Serena shrugged. "I'm not really that hungry," she said softly.

"You haven't eaten." Darien pulled up to a pizza place, half-wondering if the always-hungry Serena was just depressed about the crystal, or maybe experiencing some early pregnancy symptoms. "And I could eat," he said. "Let's pick up a little something."

Serena perked up a bit when they slid into the booth and started browsing the menu. He'd slid in next to her, not wanting to be separated by a whole table before returning to his place. The thought of returning to his place warmed him inside, and started replacing the memories of what had transpired at the temple.

"Oh look!" Serena nearly squealed out of nowhere. "They've got DESSERT pizza!"

Her smile was so wide, and innocent, and pleading, that it sweetened his soured mood almost instantly. He maintained a straight face though, and slightly teased, "Shouldn't we start with an entree?"

But when her smile faded almost imperceptibly, he said, "We'll get both."

"REALLY?" she squeaked, jumping in her seat with glee, then trying to cover for it. She was definitely aware of the older clientele in the restaurant, and tried to calm herself a bit. But she nodded emphatically. "I think that's a great idea!"

While waiting for their orders, Darien put an arm around her and said, "Soooo, you never told me why you skipped out early today and went to Rei's."

Serena leaned into his arm, still smiling about the upcoming meal. "I was being stupid."

He kissed her ear playfully. "I really didn't mean for all that to happen at school, Serena. I really did just want to talk to you. I didn't want you to hate me."

Serena reached up and gently felt the hand he'd draped over her shoulder. Looking down, she said, "I could never hate you, Darien."

He reached over, whispered in her ear. "Yes you did. You said you wished you'd never met me."

Serena shrugged, uncomfortable. "I was just upset; I didn't mean that."

"Kiss me, then," Darien whispered.

Serena took a deep breath. Turned slowly, and pressed her lips against his, very softly. Effectively, since it elicited a nice, throaty moan from the man. She looked at him; kissed him very lightly again. Then again.

Darien grasped the hand in her lap, then squeezed the hand he was holding over her shoulder. Thus embraced, he gently puckered and kissed her back very softly. They exchanged very light, soft kisses back and forth, achingly slow. He moved his hand to her lap, placed it firmly on her belly. Massaged her belly with his thumb, and was pleased when she responded with a firmer kiss. Her hand slipped from her lap to his, and she lightly grasped his thigh, then turned back to the table. The waitress was serving their food. And she wasn't moving to get it.

Darien removed his arm from her shoulders, letting it brush lightly against the back of her neck as he did so, then pulled a few slices of pizza onto their plates. He ignored the waitress' judgmental glare directed at him. A glare he'd seen from the school's secretary earlier that afternoon when she'd burst in on Darien and Serena's "exam session". And a glare he expected to get for the next few years. One that judged him a pervert for taking advantage of such a young teenager.

Serena had wolfed down most of her dessert slice before Darien had even taken a bite of his pizza. She had blueberry around her lips and was smiling widely: "You've got to try this!"

He gladly let her feed him the bite, while he rubbed his thumb over her lips to capture the blueberry jam she'd left on her face. When she pulled the pizza away after he'd taken his bite, Darien licked the jam off his thumb. Serena stopped chewing, thinking that had to be about the most sensual thing she'd seen a man ever do.

Breathing deeply, captivated, she took the proffered bite of his pizza, chewed slowly. He even held a drink to her mouth for her, which she sipped, swallowed. But then she dipped her finger into the blueberry pizza and held it up to his mouth. Darien, likewise captivated, took her finger in his mouth and lightly licked it, sucked it clean.

Serena's eyes darkened; she brought her cleaned finger back to her own mouth and sucked it, heart throbbing at the feel of the moistened finger in her mouth.

Darien dipped his finger in her pizza, then gently smeared a bit of it on her lips. Watched her lick her lips off. Watched her grab his finger and slowly, painstakingly suckle the dessert off his finger in ways that sent electricity running through his brain and crashing explosively in his nether regions. With his finger still in her mouth, he leaned over and kissed her, grabbing the back of her head to deepen the kiss immediately.

The waitress smacked the ticket on the table, getting both their attentions, and said, quietly, with a tight smile, "Why don't I box this up for you so you can take this home."

Serena noticed several tables of people staring at them, some lewdly, and others aghast and offended. She felt dirty and embarrassed, and furiously fought tears as she nodded emphatically.

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Darien glowered, "I just wasn't ready to leave yet, Serena."

Serena sat in the car, embarrassed. "Those people were looking at us!"

Darien said, "We weren't doing anything wrong, Serena." Beat. "Look, if we're going to go places together, and I hope we are, you're going to have to learn to ignore people like that. They think I'm too old for you. That's not going to change for a long, _looong_ time."

Serena buried her head in her knees. "It's not that, Darien! They thought we were going to _do it_ right there in the restaurant! —Oh my God, what if anyone there knew my PARENTS!"

Darien smiled at his little minx. "I think I could get used to your feeding me like that." Much more huskily, he added, "I don't even like dessert pizza, but that was about the best pizza I EVER remember tasting."

He'd been teasing, slightly, but Serena looked like she was going to throw up. He had to ask, "What?"

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As they neared his apartment, Serena couldn't help but feel a sudden sense of relief to be with him now. She reached over, and touched his hand gently. "Thank you" she said quietly.

"For what?" Darien asked lightly. "Licking your fingers clean?"

She winced, "If this ..if all this stuff had happened to me last week, you wouldn't be here with me."

He grabbed her hand and kissed it hungrily. "I've always been with you. Even if it didn't seem like it."

She pulled her hand back, bit her bottom lip. "I'm scared, Darien. Scared to transform. —but those people in that portal, they're not finished with us yet. And my crystal isn't acting right."

Darien stared straight ahead. He was scared of that crystal. "I know," he responded emotionally. "You know what I wish?" he asked, voice cracking. "I wish we could get rid of that crystal, and just ..be _us_. Darien and Serena. No Tuxedo Mask; no Sailor Moon. Just Darien and Serena, and ..and baby."

He glanced over; Serena was smiling at him meekly.

He got out after he parked, then met her on her side of the car. He picked her up, started quietly up the stairs. If she'd ever felt like swooning, it was now. She was both excited and petrified at being carried by this man who wanted it all from her. When he set her down to retrieve the keys, he actually pushed a hand against her chest, pushing her into the door as if to keep her from getting away. And before she knew it, she was inside, on the floor, and his tongue was snaking its way into her mouth as his hands moved under her shirt, rubbing up and down her sides. He jerked at the bow on her borrowed blouse, impatiently trying to untie it. Her heart was pounding furiously as his mouth left hers; she felt sure her mind was about to explode.

.

Not an hour later, Serena lay stunned in her bona-fide lover's bed. Inherently she knew she wasn't ready for this kind of a relationship; he'd been satisfied, though, and had assured her that all was right with the world.

Even with her pregnancy —something she couldn't yet wrap her mind around. When she started hyperventilating, he roused, and sleepily comforted her. She relaxed flush against his body, but silently wept, wishing Luna were here to tell her all the things she needed to hear.


	3. Chapter 3

**Negaverse Rising**

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**Chapter 3**

_MAKEUP POWER_

Serena shifted through the papers on her desk, looking for the test she had to retake and pass so she could get out of 8th grade. She snatched it up, brought it over to the kitchen table, and spoke into her phone: "Got it!"

Ami read her the correct answers, and Serena scribbled furiously. "We learned that?" She asked, panicked. "I don't remember anything about this!"

Serena poured over her notes furiously, munching on the fruit bowl her mom had left on the kitchen table. Her mother popped in, smiled proudly at Serena's focus. Did a double-take: three banana peels, two apple cores, food wrappers, and devoured grape vines littered the table. And her daughter was working on another banana at the moment.

Serena looked up awkwardly, smiled, finished chewing the fruit: "Gotta go, Ami!" she said with her mouth full and hung up. To her mom, she lied, "Rei and Lita just left; I'll clean up!"

And then Luna appeared behind Mrs. Tsukino and gave the signal. Serena jumped up and dragged the trash can to to the table, started shoveling the fruit remains into to trash. "I gotta go now, but I'll be back later!" She pecked her mom on the cheek as she took off behind Luna.

Luna, once outside, said pointedly, "You don't have a license to eat just because you're.. in your condition. Your mom's eyes almost popped out of her head when she saw the table!"

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**SORTIE 2**

As the two ran at a brisk pace towards the source of the danger, Serena reached for her transformation brooch. Luna said, "Hold on! We were going to assess—"

"**MOON - PRISM - POWER!**" Sailor Moon yelled out, though she'd already started her transformation. It unnerved her slightly, but she pressed on.

Luna cringed running beside her, wondering if Serena's Sailor Moon clothes would fall off again; if something else new would happen. "I'm not sure this is advisable!"

But Sailor Moon leapt up to the first building with ease. She noticed the other Senshi at nearby buildings. Tuxedo Mask appeared across from her seconds later.

And they waited with baited breath, nerves on edge; the source of danger wasn't evident. Luna told Sailor Moon in a hushed voice, "There was another droid report."

"It's not droids," Sailor Moon said quietly. They glanced over the city streets now. As worry crept over Sailor Moon's nerve endings, she absently thumbed her brooch, and felt a warmth generate from deep inside her. She chanced a glance at Tuxedo Mask seconds before a new transformation began. Luna screeched as Sailor Moon flashed brilliant white, and once again her sailor clothes fell away, leaving her naked. Except for voluminous white hair, and equally voluminous white plumes of wings hanging from her shoulders, down her back and to her feet.

Serena screamed as if in pain, even as Tuxedo Mask yelled, "Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Mask took a running leap off his building towards Sailor Moon, followed quickly by the other Senshi -except Sailor Venus, who had started yelling a warning about a droid, but went unheard.

Prince Rubeus appeared out of thin air before Serena and Luna. BERYL appeared directly behind him, a hellatiously ugly rod in her hand, pointed at the naked Sailor Moon.

"You dress up well, sweetheart," Beryl gleamed.

Luna yelled a retreat the very second she saw the formerly-dead Queen Beryl, but something exploded out of the wing-cloaked Serena's hand - a large, white glowing sword appeared, a sword that loomed nearly as large as the girl holding it. With a mind of its own, it jerked Serena's arm up and shot a white energy beam at BERYL's sudden green energy attack, parrying the nastiness in a burst of painful light. Serena screamed in agony and fear as the sword twisted her arm violently and turned her on a slowly approaching, smiling, Rubeus.

Tuxedo Mask arrived at top speed, razor-sharp stem of a rose held out like a knife, and thrust it mightily into Beryl as his weight collapsed them both to the edge of the building. But a loud, primal scream burst from the stabbed Beryl, sending Tuxedo Mask flying backwards, rolling.

Luna ran to Serena as the red prince Rubeus drew a black sword that started building up horrible dark energy. Her hair stood on end as she screeched the obvious, "Use your sword, Sailor Moon!"

Serena squeezed her eyes shut in pain as her sword seemed to fuse into her hand, and again when the black energy from Rubeus' sword started pulsing towards her. She felt her blade suck in the energy, burning her whole limb.

Rubeus smiled widely at the naked, young Neo-Queen Serenity, and with only slight effort turned his blade to point towards her, as if to show her its point. "Struggling, my ravishing Queen?" he asked, amused, then started languidly releasing droids onto the rooftop.

Sailor Mercury appeared on the roof; threw a blast of Mercury Bubbles at the first of several looming droids that had popped up after the red prince appeared. Ami's attack didn't affect her menacing target at all; the droid smacked her aside rudely, and Sailor Mars after her, sending them both to land in a heap at far end of the rooftop. That droid then turned on Tuxedo Mask, who was grasping his side, trying to get up after Beryl's counterassault.

Mask removed another rose, just as he felt Beryl trying to reach into his mind again. He stabbed the rose into the droid, twisting it, ripping his own hand in the process. As the droid stilled, but didn't dust, Tuxedo Mask attempted to put up a mind block from Beryl's attack.

Sailor Jupiter landed right in front of the evil queen, leaving the droid behind her to another scout, and focused her most powerful thunder attack on Beryl. Queen Beryl, already weakened by Mask's rose, shuddered in agony with Jupiter's attack; bent over in pain.

Emerald suddenly popped up behind Jupiter while the sailor Senshi readied another attack, and threw a black energy beam sharply into her ribcage. Emerald grabbed the girl's arm, dragged her unceremoniously to the stilled droid, dropped Jupiter and said to her droid, "Eat up, honey. You'll get your strength back."

Sailor Jupiter screamed as the droid picked her up. Tuxedo Mask, grasping for understanding, yelled "Serena! DESTROY THEM!"

Horror filled his eyes as he saw Beryl stand, again, and turn on him. Nightmarish memories he had forgotten, memories of a life and a battle he hadn't recalled in any detail until that moment, filled him with dread. Of all the enemies he'd had before, Beryl had been one who'd turned him on everyone he loved. Most especially Serena. He'd thought Beryl was long dead.

He'd thought wrong.

As Mars leaped up and jumped in to help Jupiter get free from the injured droid, all the droids suddenly disappeared; Jupiter fell to the roof unglamorously. Serena's tiara returned to her right hand; but she remained on her knees, struggling to hold the heavy white sword against an attack Rubeus was forcing with his now-giant Dark Sword.

Tuxedo Mask launched himself on a still weakened Beryl and punched her mightily in the face. He felt her weakness, and fury pulsed through him as he found the rose he'd embedded in her, then pulled it out of her ribs, twisting mercilessly as he did so. As Beryl lay wailing, bleeding out, he kicked the witch off the building.

Emerald turned on Serena at the disappearance of the droids: "Oh no you didn't!" She walked menacingly towards Serena and Rubeus. "*_Where_* are my droids, Rubeus? Why'd you let her fling that tin piece of junk—?"

Rubeus was now struggling mightily against Serenity, his Dark Sword against her White, each just managing to hold the other at bay. The red prince felt a power shift in Serenity's sword; and through grunts, he glanced at Emerald and shouted, "Get away or die!"

Energy had built up in Serena's sword; it flashed mightily over against Emerald, which Rubeus had foreseen, and seeing an opening the red prince now tried to take the advantage to overrun Serenity. Emerald was smacked hard by the blast; her body started roaring, smoking.

Sailor Mars had moved quickly to Emerald, constructing and throwing a Fire Soul lasso around Emerald as the wicked witch was fuming and dying, aiming to help the process along. Mars had almost let go of the lasso when she realized Emerald wasn't gone at all, but in fact transforming into something much more gruesome and wicked. As Emerald roared up, Rei hung on to the lasso of fire, and got bounced off the ground from the force of Emerald's upward growth. Apparently Emerald wasn't even aware Rei's lasso was encircling her waist! Sailor Mercury quickly joined in the effort, and fused her energy together with Mars' to make the lasso more powerful; and together they tried pulling, controlling, the beast as best they could.

At that moment, Sailor Venus and Artemis had finally arrived, behind Emerald. Sailor Venus, having prepped her bodily attack on Emerald from afar, let loose with her most powerful kick—

Rubeus, holding his sword against the Moon Queen's, painstakingly knelt before Serena; reaching appreciatively through the fused power and touching her cheek, braving the storm to show her his immense power. But they both turned aghast as Emerald roared into a thick, black column of smoke. Emerald was laughing maniacally as she raised her own newly wrought sword of sick glowing green towards the white sword that birthed her: "THIS IS OVER!" Emerald thundered.

Tuxedo Mask had flipped over after dispatching Beryl, just in time to see the new, hideous Emerald aiming at Sailor Moon, and threw his last rose —just as Venus came flying THROUGH Emerald.

"MINA!" yelled Serena, as Venus rolled before her. Serena's energy level soared through her sword, sending Rubeus sliding painfully backwards against the rooftop, no longer part of this battle. Serenity stood and expertly spun the heavy white sword 360 degrees, stepping towards Emerald as she did so. The sword reached Emerald's waist at high speed, cleanly cutting the green witch in half, and causing a explosion of white power and green fury which blinded everyone on the roof.

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Mercury and Mars's lasso hold on Emerald broke suddenly and snapped back into them, forcing a painful detransform. They were laying in a heap writhing in pain near where Emerald had been. Serenity had collapsed to one knee, leaning heavily on her sword with both hands, winded and exhausted, looking for a disappeared Rubeus.

Luna gasped, "They're gone!" before running over to the injured Sailor Venus, who was flanked by the be-winged Serena kneeling on her sword, and two detransformed Senshi. Sailor Jupiter was approaching, slowly, opposite Luna.

Tuxedo Mask dashed to Serena, nearly falling as he shrugged off his cape and blindly draped it over her front side. He knelt to look her in the face; ended up staring at her hair — this giant, elegant puff of white moonlight that went on forever, spilling down in curls over her body. His attention was soon turned to the giant sword in her hand, and he saw that it indeed seemed to be IN her hand, and it made a slight humming noise as it emanated warmth, so great was its potential power. His eyes darted from the sword, back to her hair, and finally to her face: "Are you okay?" was all he could think to ask.

She was staring blankly at Sailor Venus; she hollowly said, "I don't have my moon rod; I can't heal her."

Sailor Venus, laying still but with a pained look in her face, looked up at Serena. "You've got wings," she commented, weakly smiling.

"What about that —_thing_," Rei asked, out-of-breath but trying to stand. "The sword," she pointed.

An exhausted Serena looked at the hilt of the sword she was leaning on, noticed it had an indentation in the hilt that looked ready made for the Silver Crystal. Unfortunately, she didn't have the Silver Crystal. She idly touched the hilt of the sword; it seemed to drink in her fingers. Her eyes widened in fear; although it didn't exactly hurt, the sensation was just too strange.

Luna answered for her: "Oh, hell no! That's the thing that just sliced that evil green woman in half! You're not aiming that at an injured Senshi!"

And suddenly Prince Diamond appeared before the group, larger than life, bright as the sun, and smiling down at Serenity.

Diamond bowed slightly and said, with a wicked grin, "I believe I may be of service."

Tuxedo Mask startled and jumped up, rod in hand, ready to stab this creep through with it.

But Serena yelped suddenly, "No, Darien —wait! Prince Diamond CAN help!"

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Tuxedo Mask, and Diamond as well, both did a double-take at her. Diamond, leering at the scantily draped Serenity, asked with an attempted casual curiosity, "You know who I am?"

Serena, leaning on her heavy sword to hold herself up, nodded. "I do," she said as strongly as she could manage. "You're Prince Diamond, of the Black Moon Clan," with a bit more confidence than she felt, especially as she was thoroughly exhausted, and mostly-naked in front of Diamond's obviously appreciative attentions.

Attentions that didn't pass unnoticed by anyone else on the roof. Most especially Tuxedo Mask, whose eyes were immediately drawn to the black crescent moon on this new enemy's head — one which matched Serena's almost exactly, except it was black.

Diamond nodded. "Interesting. I'm not sure how you could possibly know me." He bent down and touched the rose embedded in Sailor Venus, disintegrating it into dust. "You should get the remnants of that thing cleaned out of her abdomen," he smiled warmly at Serenity. "I'd do it myself but —well, it would require me to let my guard down." He looked around at the discarded, detransformed senshi and added softly, "...although that _might _not be such a big deal tonight."

Serena glared at him, said angrily, "I remember you as a friend!" When he didn't respond, she demanded, "Why are you ATTACKING us?"

Diamond's smile disappeared, and he walked away from the bloodied group of heroes, having done all he'd needed to do. "_Friend?_ —Really?" He turned back to her. "You've exiled my family on a desolate moon several centuries into the future." He paused, but then feigned a magnificent bow. "My QUEEN."

Serena's eyes went wide, and then immediately sunk, as if remembering some horrible truth.

It was Tuxedo Mask who spoke arrogantly: "It's apparent she made a proper judgment!" Then he added with disgust, "And Beryl wasn't from the future, you son of deception!"

Diamond gleamed; addressed Serena: "Oh this is marvelous! Are you the only one with any kind of recollection—?" He waved his hand dismissively. "Good. This is very good!"

Tuxedo Mask jumped up to stand, leaving Venus still shuddering in pain at his feet. "You have us at a disadvantage. So you're a prince of a desolate moon, hanging out in the past and attacking innocent people with your toys! —WHY?"

Diamond smiled at Serenity, ignoring Endymion entirely. "You healed us, Serenity. After your daughter came to the past—"

"My daughter?" Serena asked, mentally reaching for the baby she was carrying.

Diamond gleamed even more, but tried to hide it. He shrugged. "I suppose you wouldn't have met her this time. We followed her here the first time because she had your crystal. Then someone who doesn't exist anymore turned her evil, _yadda yadda yadda_." He rolled his eyes at the memory. Sighed, "I definitely didn't make that mistake THIS time, nor did your daughter," he smiled wryly. "If I may be so bold, my Queen, as to fill you in a bit: I bring good tidings! Your battles are over! You dispersed Chaos! It seems like you dispersed him back through time, as well! All your enemies are gone! You have won! Isn't that grand!"

Tuxedo Mask jumped at the prince: "What the hell are YOU, then?"

"Well," Diamond smiled sardonically, "_Chaos_ is effectively dispersed. You live in a time of peace! You healed your enemies! Ones I suppose you've met already, like Beryl, whom you just killed," he glared at Tuxedo Mask. "You healed us!"

Diamond turned softly to Serena, and said somewhat morosely, "Unfortunately, those of us you healed, throughout all time, you forgot. Left exiled. Alone." Pause. "Even those of us, namely _me_, who gave their lives for you."

Serena shook her head in protest: "_No!_ —I wouldn't have done that!"

Sailor Jupiter, from behind the group, hissed, "He's lying!"

Tuxedo Mask agreed: "Fathers of lies tend to do that!"

Diamond shook his head sadly. "Oh you didn't do it on purpose, I suppose. We were... _an oversight_, I'm sure." One he didn't forgive nearly as easily as he made out; he'd given his very life for her, and she returned his life, but never his freedom. An oversight indeed.

"I'm sorry—!" Serena protested, believing Diamond, although not understanding.

Diamond shrugged. "Of course you are! We all knew you'd be sorry. But you asked why we're here. THAT'S why. We have nothing in the future; no means of communicating with you, letting you know we even exist." Smiling widely, he added, "Because you're the QUEEN! You've outlawed time travel—"

"And yet, here you are," Tuxedo Mask spat out.

Diamond ignored Endymion and continued, "Everything's perfect! Even though there are still some random acts of evil, it's not concentrated. CAN'T be. You've ensured that, my beloved. —Your daughter didn't take your crystal this time because you DISPERSED your own crystal like you dispersed CHAOS — to every living being, keeping only a sliver for yourself, which you grew into —" he pointed at her, "that _thing _you're wearing now. Which is yours and can't be stolen. So the little twit couldn't get it." He raised his eyebrows: "Smart move, by the way."

Diamond laughed wryly at their blank faces. "In the meantime, we returned here, because we have no other recourse. It's really the only means of travel off Nemesis that we have! —And when we got here, GUESS who was trapped in the core of the earth, beneath the North Pole?"

Sailor Venus, struggling and almost forgotten, piped out, "Queen Beryl. The Negaverse."

"EXACTLY!" Diamond smiled widely. "Healed, by Our Loveliness here, but exiled forever, doomed. An existence worse than hell!" He paused, "I'm not sure why you remember us at all. I suppose a time travel paradox? But the point remains; you've left us no choice, my love. We've got to strike back or remain forever trapped in desolation. —I'm sure you in all your wisdom will see that," he smiled. "We're ..we're _freedom fighters_, if you will!"

Serena shifted, attempting to stand up to face Diamond, couldn't manage the strength yet to stand. So she held herself up on her sword as regally as she could manage. "What do you want from us?"

Diamond looked sadly at Serenity. Chuckled. Raised his hand to the gaping open black hole above them. "Most of them suppose that your death will even the odds, as it were."

Tuxedo Mask, now cradling the injured Sailor Venus, hissed, "And her death is something you won't accomplish!"

Diamond genteelly ignored the rubbish, said simply but with a triumphant smile, "Thankfully you're not that easy to put down, My Lady." He squinted at her as she glared at him, as if trying to discern something. "—Exactly how much do you remember?"

When Serena didn't respond, merely glared at him more, he shrugged: "I don't believe your death is necessary, or even desirable. Which, I might add, is the reason I wasn't allowed on this little mission of theirs. —Until you and yours proved to be a bit more than they expected."

Sailor Jupiter asked, "Wait, so you're not with them?"

Diamond looked over at the bloodied Senshi. "Sailor Jupiter! Lita!" he said with a smile, enjoying watching the powerful Senshi unnerved at his knowing their identities. "I am most assuredly, '_with them_', as you say," he smiled. "I can't be anything but! We're in the same boat; they're basically family. —But that doesn't mean I agree with their strategies." He turned back to Serenity. "I once gave my life for Sailor Moon; died in your arms." He smiled at the memory, as it invigorated him. "And you eventually returned the favor." And with a flourish of his cape, he bowed and said, "I like to believe you brought us back for a reason."

And with that, Prince Diamond shimmered off the roof.

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_THINGS FALL APART_

Serena nearly collapsed, then convulsively detransformed, not entirely of her own will. She was laying on the roof sobbing in exhaustion, but was back in the clothes she'd left home in, for which she silently gave thanks. The sword was gone, too, but her hand was burned red and raw, and the whole experience had left her drained. Darien was rubbing her back, trying to comfort her.

"A _friend_?" Darien asked, helping her up gently.

"I doubt that," Luna said. Artemis and Luna were tending to Sailor Venus, and Luna added, "Mina still needs medical attention."

"We all do," Rei said, blotting the blood from Lita's mouth. "That green lady got her real good in the ribs."

Serena cringed, every muscle in her body in searing pain. Her back ached where the wings had been attached, as if she'd actually used her human muscles to power those things. She and Darien slowly knelt back down over Mina.

Artemis looked up, did a double-take, and screeched: "Your head!"

"The crescent moon is still there!" Luna said.

As the other girls made their ways over, Serena decided she didn't care about her civilian appearance right now. "The Silver Crystal is back," she suggested wearily. "I guess I could try to transform again..."

As she reached over and touched Mina's wound thoughtfully, she gasped audibly as pain shot up her arm like lightening, then Mina screamed and flinched, as well. Serena jumped back instinctively, but then Mina sat up, feeling her stomach tenderly.

Serena felt everyone's glare on her; Artemis said, "My goodness, Serena, I think you healed her!" Beat. "Without transforming!" The cat did a double-take to ensure that Serena hadn't tried to transform.

Darien knelt by Mina, but looked at Serena. He'd seen her crescent moon in her civilian form, at night, as she slept. He kept that quiet now, more focused on the healing. Especially since it was his rose that had caused the injury. "How do you feel, Mina?"

Mina was staring at Serena. "What did you do?"

"I dunno," Serena said, too exhausted to think about much, and now having two pained hands. She dared to look at her right hand; Luna had leaped over Darien to do the same thing. Her right hand was tinged with black lines under her skin. And they hurt.

Rei said, "Is it possible Prince Creep-o planted something in Mina when he, uh, 'removed' the rose? And now it's in Serena?"

Mina said, "You saw what he did — he didn't even touch me. He touched the rose. It still hurt even after the stem was gone, though." She detransformed, finally, and pulled up her shirt. "It's like there was nothing ever there," she said with curiosity.

Ami's scanner on Mina's stomach agreed: "There's not even skin trauma now, much less any kind of organ damage."

"What's happening to you?" Mina asked, looking at Serena's glowing forehead crescent with a bit of poorly-disguised horror now.

Ami was now on Serena with the scanner: "Let's find out!" Beat. "Lessee... effervescent warmth on your forehead in the shape of a moon.. we knew that." Beat. "But there's a strange energy coming from it." Another pause. "No —it's coming from all of you.. oh my gosh! This is reading a sparkle of power coming off ALL your skin, Serena!"

"Like what we get when we're transformed?" Rei asked, kneeling now and looking at Serena's 'sword' arm.

"Sort of," Ami said. "At least, I think so. Even though the only 'shininess' we see is on her forehead." Ami scanned the left arm Rei was holding. "You've got second degree burns on your right hand-"

"Can we get OUT. OF. HERE?" Serena asked. She looked at her friends, most of whom were regarding her like something you'd find in a petri dish. Including Darien. She blinked back tears. "I'd really like to go. —What if THEY come Back?"

.

.

Before they reached the temple, Darien noticed that Serena's crescent moon had slowly disappeared. At the temple, while Lita prepared them all a quick bite to eat, Luna pried out of Serena the very little that Serena knew about her transformation, while Darien focused on what she knew of the Black Moon family. Which was very little on both counts; it seemed Serena's abilities and 'memories' gave her only enough to know what she was immediately faced with.

The 'quick bite to eat' had turned into more of an inquisition, and Serena begged off, swearing she'd promised her mom she'd be home. Ami agreed that Serena needed to study for a crucial test, and should get a good night's sleep, so Darien retrieved his car, then drove her home. But he was still so anxious about the new transformation and the Black Moon Clan that Serena quickly bade him a farewell at the door with a quick peck on the lips and a door in the face.

Within the hour, at Rei's, Darien burst in and demanded some explanations. Explanations that were not forthcoming. Luna said that outside of Serena, the lot of them had no such memories, besides the Negaverse, and the best she and Rei could come up with was to send to the future for help, which they had no clue how to do.

Ami argued that in the eyes of the future versions of themselves, there WERE no big demons to fight anymore; and the very reason the forgotten ones were back in past was because they'd been forgotten. "How could Queen Serenity", referring to Serena, "find these people and 'help' them if they're not there?"

Darien pointed out that Serena's confusing transformation and memories, and especially that heavy, foreboding sword, must be Neo-Queen Serenity's response. "The Black Moon creeps were expecting to sweep in, kill Serena and the rest of us, and have the run of the world. Change the future. And it ..it almost happened," he said. "We were almost defeated. Hopefully someone from the future has some actual TROOPS on the way to help us get rid of the rest of these demons!" He was particularly thinking about getting rid of Diamond.

Rei shook her head no. "I don't think so, Darien. These 'black moon people' said our future counterparts couldn't travel back in time. I think Ami's right - if they could time travel, they'd BE here. Their future's at stake as much as ours."

Darien said, "So Serena's our only source of information on these demons." Beat. "—Rei, do you think you could help her recall more of these memories? Maybe the secret to defeating them is locked away in her head somewhere."

Rei shot him an angry glance. "I can't believe you'd even ask that, Darien."

"Yeah," Lita said, puffing up against him suspiciously, "she *_just_* forgave you and Rei for playing around in her mind last time, and already you're wanting to do it again? —I'm glad she's NOT here to hear this."

Darien glared at the Senshi. "This is different! I don't have a good feeling about these new enemies. They KNOW too much about us, and we know nothing about them! Serena will understand!"

"Serena held her own against them," Luna said firmly from behind the group. "Her sword was a match for that black sword, and she battled TWO of the Black Moon Clan, killing one and apparently scaring off the other." She glared at Rei. "Plus, Rei's specifically forbidden against using her dark arts on one of her own."

Darien bit his tongue, breathing angrily but quietly. Then asked, angrily, "Even if it could help?"

Rei said, "I _wouldn't_ do it again, Darien. Even if she asked me to." Ashamed, she continued, "I'm glad she's forgiven us for what we did last month, but you know as well as I do that what I intended to do wasn't what actually happened. Either my technique is off, or her brain's a different beast altogether. I'm not touching it again," Rei finished, firmly.

Luna was satisfied with Rei's response. She said, "Back to the Black Moon Family, then. Serena was able to easily defeat the one she called Rubeus—"

"It wasn't easy, and he's not defeated," Darien pointed out. "He retreated to regroup."

"He's not dead," Luna agreed, "but when Serena saw Sailor Venus get hurt, she _easily _tossed Rubeus and his black sword off her. Before that, she was struggling."

"I didn't see most of that," Rei said, "but yeah, I don't think Rubeus was here just to cross blades with a young version of the Neo-Queen. Serena can defeat him." She shivered at the memory of the battle. "She defeated Emerald. I think Emerald had to have been in the same league with Rubeus and Diamond."

Lita agreed. "That Prince Diamond guy wouldn't have come down if they hadn't been defeated." She finished off her nourishment then said, with a mouthful of food, "But I definitely wouldn't imagine they're giving up. Diamond warned us that his family was out to kill Serena."

"And there are more of them than there are of Serena!" Darien said anxiously. "They'll just keep hitting her until they find something that works —and we all saw how she looked tonight! I've never seen her so beat up after a battle, and they didn't even touch her! It was that transformation, and just holding them off, that hurt her! It won't take them long to discover her weaknesses; and they already know ours!"

Ami said, "Prince Diamond actually told us a lot. Apparently, one big change in our time, besides 'Chaos' being dispersed, is that Serena's daughter didn't travel back into the past. It seems that Prince Diamond's story about Serena getting rid of the ability to time travel is most likely. They probably thought it had caused unnecessary problems. But the technology itself must have remained in exiled places like that moon."

Darien agreed. "And the Nemesis Family came to this age to attack Serena before she got too strong."

Ami said, "That's another difference, too. They expected Serena to be ..well, Sailor Moon. More easily defeated than ..whatever she is now."

Lita argued, "She's still Senshi! You guys need to be more careful when talking like that, too! She's sensitive about these changes, but really, if you think about it, her changes are a definite POWER UP. If it hadn't been for Serena's tiara, those droids alone could have killed the rest of us and destroyed the city. And that's not even including the REAL bad guys like Rubeus!"

Rei said, "I know. I think that transformed smoke witch thought our combined lasso attack was a joke... She didn't flinch at all."

Ami said, "I think we held her a little, Rei."

Mina said, "I wish Serena could have stayed tonight. I don't understand how she KNOWS these people, and I would have liked to see her transformation again, in a more controlled environment—"

Luna smacked herself on the head. "Of course!"

They all turned to her. The cat continued. "Mr. Chiba, your dreams from the future? They WERE fabricated, obviously—"

Darien nodded, "_If _Diamond was telling the truth." Which Darien highly doubted. While he had no personal memory of Diamond, his ears had definitely perked up with Serena's memory of him. And with Diamond's claim that he'd given his life to save Serena. AND with that lascivious glare he'd kept on the partially-clad Serena.

Luna shrugged. "Serena's transformations are too powerful for her; years beyond where she should be. I hardly trust her with a butter knife, much less that sword that grew out of her arm." She continued, "We don't understand what her abilities are; how to control them." The cat paused for effect. "But in the last week, she's gotten some measure of control over them. —The question, though, is when did her changes start occurring?"

Lita pointed out, "Days ago. Tiara."

Rei said, "Well, actually, she was fighting me pretty well in training even before that." A light went on. Rei shrugged, turned it off.

Ami turned that light back on: "Maybe Darien's dreams ushered in Serena's powers! They're both from the future!"

Luna agreed heartily. "You're going down the right path I think..."

Darien, horrified, took a step back. "Wait a second; how would my dreams have any role in Serena's new transformations?"

Ami said, "Darien, think about how different things were between you and Serena before those dreams!"

Darien said, "Of course they were different. I had to break up with her-"

"No," Ami said, "That's not what I mean. You never would have pushed her for ..for sex, before last month. Which is perfectly understandable. I mean, you're 21, she's 14. You were content with just dating her." At his blank stare, she added, "_Platonically_."

Darien, shocked at Ami's accusations, said, "I know you don't believe me, Ami, but I didn't push myself on her! I didn't even intend to..." he blushed. "—to go that far with her!"

Luna chimed in: "Exactly! Let's say that someone in the future KNEW there was a sudden new threat in the past; they KNEW it would be too great for us to handle; and they KNEW it would threaten their world!"

Darien shook his head, spat, "What interest would they have in our —personal life!"

Ami said, "They couldn't travel back in time to help us directly. We have to guess that they're counting on us to destroy a threat they found in the past, and they were very limited in how they could communicate with us."

Darien insisted: "They didn't send any communication!"

Ami implored, "But we HAVE had a communication from the future, Darien! Don't you see? Your dream!"

Luna took over quickly: "Serena needed a power-up, and fast, Mr. Chiba. Although it seems fairly risky..."

Ami agreed, looking at Luna now: "Like, what if it didn't work? But they HAD to know it would work!"

Artemis said, "Or they thought it was worth the risk..."

Darien, frustration rising, demanded, "What are you talking about? How would torturing me with a fake prophecy, making me break up with Serena, get her a new transformation?"

Ami, startled that Darien was still a page behind, said with dismay, "Darien, you got Serena pregnant!" Beat. "That's her power-up!"

Rei sat down hard, hand on forehead, seeing it now. "Oh my God —I think they're right."

Darien said, "No they're not!" Turning on Ami and Luna, he railed, "Those dreams were a WARNING! And it was only because of ..my abject weakness, one night! —that I gave in and failed Serena! Trust me that WASN'T the intention of those dreams! It was the exact opposite, in fact!"

Lita, getting it herself, said, "Darien, if someone from the future had sat down with you last month and told you to go get your _fourteen-year-old_ girlfriend pregnant as quickly as possible, you'd never have done it! You guys just weren't there yet - believe me, I DRILLED her for details all the time, and she was thrilled with you just walking her around the park like a puppet master. You were going on ICE CREAM dates! You loved her way too much to push sex on her, much less the prospect of being a teenage mother!"

Darien turned away. Head swimming. "Shut UP!"

Lita smiled widely. "'Future you' knew himself well enough to know that introducing that kind of angst and desperation into both you and Serena would certainly help you get her knocked up!"

Rei added, "It actually makes a lot of sense—"

Lita nodded: "Rei probably sent you the actual message, with Endymion's help!"

Rei sneered at Lita evilly. "Now wait a minute...—!"

Darien fought furiously as well. "You honestly believe the goal of the visions was for me to get Serena pregnant! I'm sorry, but no." Beat. "Look what I've done to her!" he stammered, choked up, smashing his fist on the table. "This isn't from ME! No! Someone forced this on me so I'd hurt Serena —to WEAKEN us. That's happened before!"

"Darien—" Ami tried, interrupting, but was brusquely outshouted.

Darien said, "I _remembered_ some of that tonight when that evil witch Beryl tried to attack my MIND again! —Or maybe Diamond himself in some wicked bid to win Serena's heart, to tear her away from me! What about THAT bad timing! You heard him as surely as I did, about the future not being written in stone! What was that about—?"

Luna interrupted firmly, "The enemy would have no motive, Mr. Chiba, to make Serena that powerful."

When Darien didn't respond, Ami added, "The Black Moon family didn't know about her power up, as you yourself just pointed out. Even Prince Diamond said as much! He said his family was surprised that we weren't an easy wipe-out! They never would have powered-up Serena."

Darien knew the truth of that. But he couldn't stand the other possibility either. That a future version of himself may have set out to drive himself *mad* enough to impregnate a young, unsuspecting Serena. He sat dejectedly. Tried hard to not get emotional; to stay focused. Distinctly remembered his urges to couple with her that fateful night; even that deep dark secret urge he hadn't shared with anyone. His hands grabbed miserably at his hair, pulling: "I wouldn't do that!"

Lita launched out at him, "If you were willing to _crush_ Serena to save her in the future, why the hell don't you believe a *future* you would be willing to knock her up to do the same thing? —I'd do it in a heartbeat."

Anger boiled in his blood; he leaped up. "Serena is young, Lita. She could bounce back from losing a boyfriend! Starting a family is an entirely different matter! Can't you see how irresponsible it would be for anyone to ..to plot this? MAKE A HUMAN LIFE to give a Senshi a little more power?"

Rei said, "Um, Darien? THEY didn't make Serena pregnant."

"I didn't PLAN to!" Darien retorted, voice cracking. Frustrated, he sat back down. He took a breath a tried to reason, "She fought well, tonight! But…!" He looked down angrily at Luna, then back up at the others: "I'd never do that to her. She's a KID. She's pregnant, she's injured— This is just way too convoluted."

"The rest of us were injured too, Darien," Rei said gently. "Including you! —Only if it weren't for Serena holding back that red-haired creep, or cutting that smoke lady in half, we'd all be dead." Beat. "It may not be easy to have a kid at 14, or have that sword grow through your hand to fight off enemies. We may be battered. But at least we're all alive."

Luna, looking at Darien, said, "They're ultimately right, Mr. Chiba. You were willing to do ~_anything_~ to save Serena. But without that desperation from your breakup, from being forced to hurt someone you love... —without that, you would have tried to find another way to save the world, the way we've always tried. The future Darien had to break down your moral code to get you to ..go in to her. They had to break _you_."

"And Serena," Darien glowered darkly. "If I could travel to the future I think I'd kill myself."

Silence. Lita and Ami suppressed giggles at the thought. Rei rolled her eyes, "You probably would."

.

.

.

_NIGHT_

Tuxedo Mask sat outside Serena's window, watching her sleep. As usual. He'd been disappointed when he arrived at his apartment earlier and she hadn't even left a message, much less changed her mind and come over. But then he remembered that at 14, she probably belonged in her family's home more than her lover's home. For now.

Serena rolled over in her bed, sleeping heavily. Tuxedo Mask gasped when he saw the little crescent moon on her forehead glowing again - and cringed at the memory of the exact opposite crescent moon on DIAMOND's forehead. But then he saw the softly glowing, tiny crescent moon glowing from her belly. Her womb. He ached to go be with her. As he'd ached so many times in the last month.

He struggled mightily with his mind, putting himself in his own shoes about 5 weeks earlier. If instead of the nightmares, his future self had sat him down and said, 'You must make love to her, get her pregnant', would he have been able to manage such a feat? He considered the question mightily as he stared at Serena's sleeping form. Ami had been perfectly right; he had walked a respectable line with his extraordinarily young girlfriend, limiting their contact to fairly platonic kisses and hand-holding.

Not particularly due to any lack of desire on his part; but rather because he recognized early that Serena's idea of a romance was still very ..childish. In fact, the moment he woke up to the knowledge that his soulmate of centuries earlier was just a child now, he deliberately put any erotic dreams that had come with the memories of his former life on the back burner. Just knowing he had found Serenity, and could spend time with her, watch her grow up and become his, was enough for him.

And now she lay in her childhood bed, -pregnant. He let his head drop heavily against the house. Memories of the intimacies yesterday flooded his mind, but great shame came over him. She was a princess. It was perfectly okay to have a flighty, innocent love affair with her as she grew up; it was even okay to break up with her until she could come of age, giving him time to hunt down the last of her enemies and hopefully change her dismal future. But how.. how could he justify crushing her innocence in a moment of desperation? He'd not only besmirched *her*, but he'd done the same to himself.

But worse than all that was the fact that this child he'd given her may have itself burdened her with an impossibly painful transformation. Serena's new transformation sounded wonderful to Luna and the Senshi. But he knew this unmanageable power of hers - and particularly that heavy white sword - would not only cause her pain, but would make her an giant, glowing, obvious target for every enemy throughout time.

And while that may have been their destiny together in the past, and possibly their destiny in the future, Darien knew she just couldn't possibly be prepared for such an enormous responsibility yet.

And he'd brought all this on her himself; he, her so-called soulmate.

He propped himself up more comfortably, and settled in for the night.

.

.

.

Saphir glowered at the news of two of the attack team, Beryl and Emeral, being killed; and nearly all the droids in their care also easily wiped out. "How are they so POWERFUL?"

Rubeus shrugged: "They're not weak. But Serenity, as Diamond so eloquently pointed out, was hardly at the Neo-Queen's levels, either, or she would have cut me to ribbons. Believe me, I worried about that, but I'd guess her sword was wielding HER more than she wielding the sword."

"NOTHING!" Saphir growled, "they have now should even come CLOSE to beating the Dark Sword! The only reason the Neo-Queen did before was because my freakin weak-hearted brother wielded it against her—"

"Hey," Diamond protested, "Mine was a pretty damned powerful attack; kept her asleep for ages! And used all the Senshi resources throughout that time to keep her from dying even then! Better than anything you all combined have EVER done!" Beat. "I may DESIRE her, but I'm still her strongest opponent." Shrug, with a bit of a smile. "Who's quibbling, though."

Saphir continued, "Did any of the droids make it out?"

Rubeus said, "Not a one!"

"_HOW?_" Saphir demanded.

"Well like I said, Serenity threw that tiara of hers, and all the droids dusted instantly," Rubeus said.

A dark presence at the end of the table spoke up, gravelly, causing the whole room to squirm. "And how did Endymion succeed at killing Queen Beryl?"

Rubeus said, "Close combat, and he had some help from the Senshi. But we didn't really know Beryl's capabilities, anyway. She SAID she could control minds, but I didn't see one instance of such mind control." He shrugged.

Diamond took his opportunity, sneering, "Ah yes, Queen Beryl with the _magic mind control_ that puts mine to shame." Beat. "Pity." And then to his brother, the new leader of their group, he added, "Serenity seems to be growing in power every day. Her tiara actually took time to dust droids in our first sortie. But this time, she flicked her wrist and _instantly_, the droids were gone. And a few days ago, she didn't even have the sword."

Saphir, still glowering at this incredible defeat, banged his hand on the table and said, "We're under severe time constraints, then. Maybe it's time to consider Diamond's plan, after all."

.

.

.

_TEST DAY_

Serena walked out of the school, test paper crumpled up in hand. Ami, Mina, and Lita met her, and Ami asked carefully, "Fail?"

Serena grinned widely: "Don't _THINK _so!" And she squealed as she showed them her mark.

"B+!" Ami exclaimed, and all three girls hugged her.

They strolled down towards the arcade. Lita brought it up first: "So that Prince Diamond, wow, he was pretty hot! —for a bad guy."

Serena blushed deeply, unsmiling. "It was pretty nice of him to heal Mina," she allowed.

Mina said, "He just took the rose out, Sere. You did—"

Serena nodded; changed the subject quickly. "I thought the Prince looked as old as Grandpa Moses. Didn't powdered wigs go out of fashion back when the British rebelled against the Americans?"

Ami's jaw dropped.

"His hair was the same color as _yours_ last night" Lita teased as they went into the arcade and got to the counter. "I saw the way he was looking at you!" Lita continued mercilessly. To Andrew, she flirted, "May we have three of your yummiest milkshakes ever?" Lita smiled widely as the man of her dreams winked at them and started making their shakes.

Serena was brilliant red, thinking about how that pervert geezer in his shiny white armor had seen her almost naked. What kind of a transformation was THAT, she asked herself.

As they moved to sit down at a table, Ami asked, "What's wrong, Sere? You just got a GREAT test grade! School's almost out for the summer - that usually upsets me, too, but-"

"She's thinking about Diamonds and Pearly White Teeth!" Lita gleamed.

"I didn't like him at all," Serena said, making an ugly face even as Andrew served up their shakes. "Thanks."

"Good job on the test, kiddo," Andrew said with a big smile.

It irritated Serena when he called her 'kid'. But she turned her thoughts back to her horrible transformation, and whispered harshly across the table to Ami, "How am I supposed to transform in public? Have you thought about that? Who AM I now? Sailor SLUT?"

Lita's jaw dropped, but it was Mina who said, kindly, "Serena, you're still _Sailor Moon_! Just, —a little edgier?"

Rei laughed as she plopped beside Serena. "Yeah, you can MOON the whole city when you're finished battling!"

Serena dropped her head onto the table, lifting it only enough to slurp her milkshake.

Mina offered, "I was thinking we could ..um, MAKE you something to wear, just for you!"

Serena asked the Senshi leader, "You think that could work?"

Ami said, "We'll make it work! Plus, anyway, according to Prince Diamond—"

"Dreamy Diamond," Lita smiled dreamily. "The more I think about him, the more I think I'd hit that. You can't look THAT good and be EVIL!" She slurped her milkshake loudly. "Plus, didn't he say that evil was destroyed or something?"

Rei leered, smile twisting around on her face. "No, Lita, he didn't say 'evil' was destroyed." Beat. "But he wasn't bad on the eyes."

Ami interjected, "As I was saying!" She smiled wryly at the horniest girls in the city. "Things _are _improved now! Maybe we won't have to transform much after we take out the Black Moon brothers!"

Lita offered helpfully, "Seriously, Sere, we could just carry around a trench coat for you to put on real quick after you transform!"

"Sailor Flasher!" Rei giggled, imagining Naked Serenity in a trench coat.

Serena elbowed Rei, even as Lita said, "Well, whatever we make, it should be maternity wear. —so you can grow into it."

When everyone glared at the Jupiter Senshi, Lita said, "What? She's PREGNANT! Hello, she's GONNA get BIGGER!"

They all got still and quiet. Lita cleared her throat and said, loudly, "That. Would. Be. Funny. IF. Sailor. Moon. Ever. Got. Pregnant."

"Tell her not to say 'pregnant'," Serena asked Rei, eyes closed.

"Yeah," Rei said, "Let's just never say that word." Clearing her throat, she said, "Mina! How was school for you today?"

"Mina's pregnant?" Andrew asked, popping up unexpectedly. "Huh, I thought one of you guys were pregnant, but I'd have never guessed my sweet little Mina."

"Mina's not .._that_," Ami said.

Mina, eyes wide, shook her head at Andrew. "I'm not pregnant, Andrew!"

Lita said, "Yeah, she's never even— I mean, ...you shouldn't be eavesdropping! That's how rumors get started!"

Andrew backed off playfully: "Hey, my lips are sealed."

After he left, Mina whispered, "Great, now *_I'm_* going to be the slutty teenage mom! THANK you!"

Serena's face dropped as all her friends realized Mina had just suggested Serena was a slut. With the rampant apologies coming her way, she met Andrew's eyes from across the room and cringed. She said, "Think I'm going to play some games." Beat. "Excuse me."

.

.

.

Serena was playing Sailor V when she felt Darien approach. "Hey," she called out, somewhat timidly, keeping her eyes firmly on her game. "I passed my test."

She lost a life when she felt Darien wrap his arms sensuously around her waist from behind, pulling her back against him and kissing her neck. "Hey beautiful," he said huskily into her ear.

Serena, catching her breath, said, "You made me die."

Darien nipped her earlobe. "Kiss me."

Serena let her next life go, and slowly turned around to Darien. "You smell amazing," she said, star-struck. Winced slightly as she heard yet another life die. Tried to beg off of a public kiss in this place with her eyes.

Darien chuckled, grabbed her hips, and smiled warmly at her. "Kiss me," he said quietly, "...so people won't be too surprised when we announce our impending nuptials."

Serena blushed furiously, and almost threw up when some others hooted and hollered at them. She bent forward and quickly bestowed a tiny peck on Darien's lips. Then turned around to see her last life die.

Darien turned her back around and kissed her properly, ignoring the cat calls, most of which seemed to be coming from Serena's own table. He kissed her, slowly, several more times, until she was submissively kissing him back, then he pulled away and asked, "Had your milkshake yet?"

Serena nodded dumbly, feeling the heat of embarrassment pouring off her skin as she grabbed his hand and walked back to her table.

"How'd you SCORE," Lita teased loudly, to a roomful of laughter.

"I did okay," the embarrassed Serena said, sitting down by Rei and scooching the girl over physically to make room for Darien.

Darien bent down, "I'm getting a sandwich; want something?"

Rei interrupted, "I think she might!" even as Serena shook her head 'no'.

"Yeah, she'd like a Darien Sandwich, please!" Lita called.

.

.

When he left, the girls squealed. Lita said, "I can't believe he shoved his TONGUE down your THROAT right in front of everybody."

"He didn't—" Serena started, the broke off the lie. Her heart was still pounding, and her lips were swollen from Darien's sudden ministrations. She licked her lips.

Lita munched on a french fry, elbowed Ami, smiled at Rei. "So Serena, you've DONE IT now, haven't you."

Serena looked down at the ground. She was pregnant; of course she'd 'done it'.

Lita corrected, "I mean, where you can REMEMBER it."

Rei blanched. Wanted to change the subject. "Lita, just -why don't we talk about that Prince Diamond some more!"

Lita bounced at that chance: "Do you remember anything about ~him, Serena? You think you did it with him, too?"

Ami turned beet red: "Lita! A ..a QUEEN wouldn't 'do it' with anyone besides her KING!"

Lita drawled, "Oh yeah? Why'd he throw himself in the face of danger to save her, then, Ami? You don't do that unless you're INTIMATE!"

Rei said, "He was checking you out pretty good, Sere."

Ami countered, "He was just a pervert, Rei. I bet he'd look at any naked girl like that. I bet all men look at naked girls like that!"

.

.

Darien had heard everything from the counter, even after he'd gotten his sandwich.

"Glad to see you two back together," Andrew smiled.

"Thanks," Darien said lightly, still trying to eavesdrop on the Diamond talk from the girls' table.

"Might want to take it easy with the 'public displays' though. Some people don't take kindly to seeing guys our age with girls Serena's age." Beat. "You two look pretty intimate."

Darien shrugged uncomfortably, "I love her."

Andrew stared carefully at Darien. "She's fourteen, Darien."

Darien nodded, turned a bit red.

Andrew set the sandwich down. Noticed Darien listening to the talk about the latest idol or someone they all thought was 'hot'. The girls were nearly screaming that Serena might want to boff this guy, and Serena was clearly getting upset. "Girls can be harsh, man. Serena only has eyes for you, though. Don't let it get to you." Beat. "She's a nice girl."

"Yeah," Darien said, then winced when Lita suggested that his future wife had in fact had a fling with that demon monster from hell; he set his sandwich down, took a deep breath.

"Incoming.." Andrew whispered, just as Serena suddenly appeared behind Darien, tugging at his ugly jacket. He turned and saw a tear-streaked face; forgot everything. Hands on her face, he asked worriedly, "What's wrong sweetheart?"

"I've got to be getting home," she said, trying to smile. "I've had a hard day and—"

He put his arm protectively around her, and asked Andrew to wrap his sandwich. "I'll walk you," he whispered to Serena, then kissed her lightly on the forehead.

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.__

_**INTERREGNUM**_

He walked her through the park, letting her lead the way. Away from his apartment; towards her parents' home. He told her about his work as he wolfed down the sandwich, then asked her about her test. Finally, he'd hit gold. She smiled talking about it - not the test itself, but about how she got not just a 'B' but a 'B-PLUS'. After staying up late dodging Dark Moon attacks! Did he see her hold back Rubeus? And who'd ever heard of turning into smoke, so that poor Mina could get injured by friendly fire.

"Did you remember _her_?" Darien asked lightly, casually taking a deep drink of his tea.

"Emerald?" Serena shrugged. "As well as the rest of them, I guess." Darien was silent. "Their faces seem very familiar; and, you know, their whole evil laughs thing. I —I definitely remember Rubeus, like I told you last night, although I forgot to mention that the black sword wasn't his weapon. I think that sword was Prince Diamond's..." She trailed off.

Darien nodded, but was seething inside. He couldn't remember any of them. But he didn't like Serena having these memories, or of course the enemies having 100% recall of all them. "Serena, do you remember Diamond?"

Serena looked up at Darien. Saw something new on his face, and it wasn't something happy. "Yes." She took his tea, took a sip. Bit her bottom lip. "Not as much as I let on to him. Somehow I knew he could help Mina, like he was a doctor or something. But I didn't want to let him know how much I DIDN'T remember."

Darien chuckled, "You know, he said, 'your daughter', and he definitely remembered you." He shrugged. "He didn't seem to recognize me at all."

Serena was instantly assaulted by images of Tuxedo Mask appearing in a window, herself laying on a bed in a strange dress, Diamond staring at her. She shivered. Choked out, "_He remembered you._"

Darien stopped her: "Serena, what's wrong?"

Serena shook her head. Fell into Darien's arms as their pace slowed.

Darien picked her up, carried her over to a secluded bench. Sat her down on his lap; kissed her head. "Did he hurt you, Serena?"

Serena wrapped her arms more tightly around her prince. "I'm sorry; I'm being such a baby. It's just spooky having these ..._memories_, or whatever they are."

Darien pulled her tight, felt her shaking. "I've got you," he soothed, power massaging her back. "But you know how I promised you we wouldn't have any more secrets between us? Ever?"

Serena wiped her eyes with her forearm; nodded. Kissed him on the nose. "I love you, Darien."

Darien captured her bottom lip; kissed her. Mumbled onto her lips: "You need to make me the same promise."

Serena sat up, confused. She shrugged, "Okay. I promise not to keep any secrets from you ever." Beat. "Pinky swear," she added, holding up her pinky sarcastically.

"I'm serious, Serena," Darien said. "I might not have the memories, but I have a feeling. A bad feeling, particularly, about this Diamond creep. Like he's my enemy more than yours."

Serena sighed. "Darien, I could barely remember their names a few nights ago. And last night, I remembered them as they popped up. But I don't remember everything about them, or even —like, Prince Diamond mentioned my daughter." She smiled weakly. "What kind of mother am I that I can't remember my own daughter? But I can remember Diamond taking a fatal blow for me, from his own allies. I remembered—"

Serena's chin started quivering again; Darien put a hand on her face. Kissed her again.

"He once tried to force me to be with him," Serena whispered, ashamed.

Darien stopped cold. Recovered. Saw blood red. Imagined how far he might have gotten. Wondered what must have happened for Serena to not be able to fight him off. Did he kiss her? Touch her? Did she cry out?

Serena continued, "I think I was about this age then, too."

Darien moved Serena off him; stood to walk. Paced. Understood why Serenity couldn't fight him off. The asshole had tried to rape Serena when she was a child. He bit his bottom lip: "Go on," he demanded, nearly blind with rage but trying not to show it.

"He took me to this castle, and I woke up in this long white dress. I had a magic compact then. That's where I had my Silver Crystal. —but the compact wouldn't work there. I couldn't transform..."

Darien didn't respond; he faced away from her, but was obviously waiting for her to continue.

"He tried to brainwash me with... Oh my God, that crescent moon on his head. It's like a third eye; creepiest thing ever." She choked back tears; held herself tightly.

"Did he ..succeed?" Darien asked, harshly.

Serena's breath caught; she glanced up at him. Realized how angry he was now. Her blood ran cold. Angrily, she asked, "Would it matter?"

Darien stared at her. Coldly. "You responded to him like a long-lost friend last night, Serena. You even THANKED him after what he and his 'family' did to us—"

Serena's eyes flew wide. "Darien, he ..—he'd saved Mina!" she protested.

"From an attack THEY started; YOUR 'freedom fighters'," Darien growled.

"_'My'_? —that's what _Prince Diamond _said, Darien, not _me_!" Beat; eyes widened. "You think I LOVE him!" Serena said, standing. Shocked. "I didn't even REMEMBER any of this last night, Darien. YOU asked me if he knew you. THAT'S how I remembered Diamond attacked me. Because I remembered that YOU came to my rescue. YOU stopped him. YOU saved ME and took me out of that place!"

.

.

Serena turned away and walked as fast as she could, home. Darien caught up with her: "Serena—"

She twisted violently away from his grasp. Darien jumped in front of her; stopped her. "Serena!" he demanded. "This isn't some game. This man is dangerous. He tried to RAPE you! His family tried to KILL us last night! He means us HARM."

Serena shook her head; looked away. "And you accused me of being in love with him! I just want to go home—"

"Oh no you don't," Darien said angrily, grabbing her arm. "We're not doing this on-again-off-again thing every other day, Serena. That's not how our marriage is going to work—!"

"And you can't accuse me of —oh nevermind! That's all you wanted to talk about! You didn't care about my test today! Well go talk to Luna! She LOVES talking about the Black Moon Clan! —I just need to be away from you right now!" she shot back, turning and speeding off.

Darien advanced on her, taking her in both arms even as she struggled. He grabbed the back of her head powerfully, kissed her. Had to make her understand the danger he felt she was in. She fought him valiantly, screaming against his oral assault; pushing his arms away, even though they kept coming back more forcefully.

He kissed her passionately, fiercely drawing her attention fully into him. Didn't let up until she was finally kissing him back, and soon afterwards wrapping her long arms around his head. He led them both clumsily to the ground, where they sat and embraced in a slower, gentler, yet soul-searing kiss.

Serena soon took control of this kiss, leaning onto him, slowly tumbling them both backwards onto the grass. Forgetting completely where they were, Serena crawled over him, lightly kissing and tasting his lips as her hands held his face. Her legs straddled over his, allowing his sudden erection to press into her thigh as she started more virulently tangling her tongue with his.

Darien's brain went numb as Serena's hand snaked down to his pants and gently grabbed him. He thrust his hips up into her warm grasp, moaning loudly as she deepened her kiss even further. He wanted her so bad, he nipped her lip with his teeth, nudged her face up so he could get to her neck. He gently bit her chin, her jawbone. Licked her neck, and as she started massaging his member rhythmically, he started sucking ferociously on her neck. With her legs spread wide over him, his hands moved easily up under her skirt and panties in one motion, and he was cupping her ass.

"I love you," Serena whispered desperately between their kisses.

Darien dreamily opened his eyes, thinking of proving his love to Serena that instant, when he saw an older couple staring at them, walking away scandalized. Froze. "_Serena!_" he yelped.

She let go, sat up on her knees, eyes heavily lidded but passionately staring at him. "What's wrong," she gasped out. "Darien, don't you love me?"

Darien froze when he saw the little hickey he'd left on her neck. Breathing hard, he shuffled out from under her and said, "Let's go to my apart—"

Serena had wrapped her arms around his neck again, connected with him in another sweet kiss. He kissed her back, gasping for air desperately as he dove into this kiss. He loved that she was so willing, so quickly, after a fight he could barely remember now. She felt so warm and wet, and —and this was going too far! Gasping desperately for sanity; he broke the kiss, scrambled away from her again.

"Darien?" Serena asked, hurt, as he jumped up.

He pulled her up to him, tightly. Too tightly. They were connected in another passionate kiss again. He rubbed his hands up and down her back, roughly, as their teeth banged together and their tongues danced sweetly together. He picked her up, not breaking the kiss, and started stepping backwards until he rammed into a tree.

He opened his eyes. They weren't going to make it to any apartment, he decided; he looked around desperately for a secluded spot. They were nowhere near any kind of secluded spot. They were standing in the open with one sad little tree behind him, people milling about everywhere now. Some actively staring at him and Serena. Serena was rubbing up against his erection, kissing his neck madly.

He picked her up baby style, cradling her in both arms: "We're going back to my place. —Now." Darien wondered darkly if this was probably the exact very reason he'd always held himself aloof from the rest of the world; so that he wouldn't one day meet this girl and she couldn't sneak her way into his heart and talk him into the maddest public displays of affection.

Serena lay back in his arms as he rushed, even ran, through the park and back towards his apartment. She reached up gently and caressed his bottom lip. "Kiss me, Darien?"

"Workin on it," he replied, as coldly as he could manage. He rushed past the arcade, hoping nobody in there noticed him rushing his young girlfriend back to his apartment.

Serena reached up to his ear, "Darien I need you," she begged miserably, ever so softly.

His knees weakened, remembering the few times he'd been with this little nymph of his, remembering reaching orgasm and filling her with his seed. Seed that had blossomed in her womb and was now a tiny fetus growing inside her; which would make her belly fat with his baby over the next few months. Wanted her about a million times more than she wanted him, he was sure, but he shouldn't even be tempted to do anything with her in public.

"Darien," Serena whispered lazily, "I want you—"

Darien audibly groaned at the imagery; tears welled up in his eyes. "Shut up, Temptress." He pushed his mouth against her ear roughly. "Or things happen right here."

Serena purred against him, started pulling at her the bow on her shirt.

Darien slowed a step, watching her achingly slow bow-tie removal. Wondering how nice it would feel to rub his face on her bare chest.

"Let me down," Serena said dreamily, struggling sexily against her guy. She grinned widely when he did, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him madly. He moved to push her against a building, and she slipped away and started running. Flabbergasted, he raced her to his apartment, Serena's loosened bow-tie fluttering behind her neck.

Darien felt like transforming into Tuxedo Mask; worried about it happening against his will even, so strong was his desire to catch Serena.

When they arrived at his apartment, both fully winded, Serena was giggling madly. He grabbed her, smiling widely: "I almost feel sorry for you, my princess." He dragged her up the stairs; into his apartment; locked the door.

When he turned around, Serena was smiling, stripping off her shirt, leaving only her bra on.

Darien unbuckled his belt. "Get to the bedroom, Serena," he managed. He stripped his pants off at the door, watching her appreciatively as she skitted off to his bedroom.

He walked in quick moments later, still unbuttoning his shirt, but otherwise naked. Serena was in the bed, partially covered by the sheets, and completely naked.

He discarded the shirt on a chair, and walked languidly over to the bed, watching his smiling Serena as he did so. He knew she was only 14, but to him she looked eternal. Perfect. HIS.

"Come here," he said softly as he sat on their bed. Her smile faded into passion as she slid over towards him, then put her hands on his chest. Leaned up for a kiss.

Darien slowly kissed her, enjoying her hands raking over his skin. He reached out for her, ran a hand down her arm and over her waist; let it rest on her thigh. Groaned slightly as she broke the kiss, looked at him earnestly, pleadingly. Serena lay back gently on the bed, then rolled forward onto his lap, planting tiny breathy kisses along his thighs.

Darien's mind exploded as Serena took control of their lovemaking.

.

By the time they were finished and he'd gently bathed her, he was fully sated and desiring to nap with her, but as it wasn't even dinnertime yet, Serena had insisted on going home. So he drove her home, watched her go in to her family and spend the evening with them, and waited for nightfall. Even then, the family stayed up watching TV, then played a board game —it was too much for him to bear. He angrily stormed off to Andrew's to get a bite to eat, and waited until the entire establishment was emptied before leaving. When he returned to the Tsukino's street, he parked down the block and waited for the lights to go off, then made his move to sneak into her room.

She hadn't been anxiously awaiting him, though; Luna glared at him as he made his way to the bed and climbed in behind her, barely rousing her.

"Fourteen," Luna whispered quietly to the fully-dressed invader.

"Pregnant with my child," Darien whispered back with closed eyes, pulling Serena against his body so he could get some sleep. He knew they had a tough road to plough ahead of them; he knew she was too young; but he had every confidence that somehow, some way, they'd make it. Spectacularly.


	4. Chapter 4

**Negaverse Rising**

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**Chapter 4**

**DARKNESS**

Serena's face was downcast into her lap. It was so cold here, but for some reason she was in a battle of wills which didn't allow her to hug herself warm. She wondered how she got here. She felt Darien cuddle up against her, but knew that was in another life. He breathed on her neck; she tried to elbow him, kick him, scream. Get him to wake her up.

"_The Neo-Queen arises!_" she heard. That voice. Rubeus. Her mind flitted to an image of his dark sword; she focused on transforming, getting the protection of her white sword. Couldn't. She stayed balled up, kneeling on a wet rock in some sort of hellish cave she was too scared to look at. She felt Darien holding her again; determined that she couldn't get distracted this time; had to focus on where she really was.

"_Stay with us now, Serenity!_"

"What could you possibly want from me?" Serena asked with chattering teeth, unable to hide her discomfort.

"_Your DEATH_," Rubeus said, laughing angrily.

Saphir's boot appeared in her line of sight, right in front of her legs. She refused to look up at him, but knew him. Then she saw his knee on the floor; he had knelt down before her. "_Child Queen, look at me._"

Serena knew instinctively she couldn't look at any of them, most especially not Saphir's brother Diamond, who hadn't shown himself, but whose presence she felt sharply. Fear shot through her as an image of Diamond flashed through her mind; he was wasn't even looking at her, but he was smiling warmly. He was facing a crowd in a brighter room, smiling at the crowd. She was in a bedroom, watching him. Waiting for him. Her heart started beating frantically as she fell into that thought, the thought of Diamond —no, it was 'Demand', _Prince Demand_, and he was going to be coming into her any moment now. She struggled against her visions; she wouldn't be with him. The images assaulted her anyway. Prince Demand turned slowly, walked towards her room.

Saphir spoke loudly, interrupting her terrifying reverie: "_SERENITY, LOOK at us! You put us here; you should at least grace us with a sideways GLANCE!_"

Serena shut her eyes again, sending her thoughts rushing back to Demand's quarters. She noted that Demand wasn't there anymore, then aghast, opened her eyes, ashamed at herself for seeking that dream again! She swallowed, breathed hard. Felt Darien's arms tighten around her; sunk into his embrace. Felt the cold rock formation behind her instead.

In the here and now, and egg rolled by her; she felt it burst into a full-blown monster. It was so close that its foot was under her thigh now. She started shaking as she felt its hand on the back of her hair, pulling. She was adrift in the air, searing pain shooting down her back. She shut her eyes tight; screamed.

Below her there was arguing going on. Then she heard him.

"_PUT HER DOWN!_" Prince Demand ordered.

Someone dusted the monster, and Serena fell from its grasp. She wanted to open her eyes, but knew she shouldn't. She landed painfully on a hard, wet rock flooring; agony pierced through her brain.

"_Serena!_"

She opened her eyes carefully; looked up into Demand's eyes. Demand was grabbing her hand, telling her to run.

Serena jumped up, grabbing his hand tighter as pain shot through her legs and arms from the hard fall. She started running through black halls with Demand in the lead, hellish screams following behind them, echoing off the walls, searing into her soul.

Demand pulled her into a deep, dark room, closed the door. "You'll be safe here," he said, pushing her against the wall as if to protect her. She could feel him breathing on her face.

Heart racing, body wracked with cold shivers, she asked, "Demand! Where's _here_? Where are we?"

"This is where we found you, my love," Demand said, inhaling the scent of her hair, allowing his body to warm hers.

Serena shrieked, "I don't like it here!" As he pulled away from her, she felt a cold blast of air pound her. KNEW it was a mind trick of some sort. And with far more confidence than she felt, she said, "I can't be here with you!"

Demand took another step back from her, and immediately the coldness returned, the darkness got blacker. "Then I'll go," he said. "I'm not holding you here, Serena."

Serena bit back tears; felt an abject loneliness that she only remembered in her most secret of dreams. The last person in the world had been falling away from her, and she had reached out for her. Because what good was it to win if you were alone.

Demand had stepped near again, come as if he'd heard her desperation and responded. Demand said, "I'd never leave you Serena, unless you asked me to."

"You tried to brainwash me!" Serena spat out, allowing her emotions and fears to flow through.

"You'd use that against me?" Demand said, hot breath against her cheek. He hadn't sounded that close, but she thought she felt his body pressing against hers.

A tear slid down Serena's face. She was shaking; breaking. The image of Diamond throwing himself before the Wiseman's death blow to protect her filled her with loss, anguish.

Demand smiled. "You hate yourself for it, but you love me, Neo-Queen Serenity of Crystal Tokyo, equalizer of star crystals and salve of mankind, champion of justice and love. You. Love. Me."

Serena shook her head fiercely. "I don't love you!" She gasped in air like it was a precious commodity. Calmed herself. "I don't." She didn't even like him, she thought to herself. Sighing, she added, "But I don't want you to hurt, Demand," She'd said it so softly that she wondered if she'd even uttered the words.

He gently brushed his lips against her chin; she didn't cringe or jerk away. "But you have, Serenity."

She closed her eyes. "I don't want to be with you, Demand. But I'm sorry I hurt you, and even your creepy family out there." She started crying now. "I can't explain why I'd ever do that. But I'd do anything to help you now."

She felt his breath on her lips first, then his mouth just glancing against hers. "Anything?" he asked hotly. She didn't move; to speak would be to make intimate contact with this man.

Demand was gone away from her again; his coats wrestling in the dark was the only hint she had that he was still there. Serena's heart beat fiercely; the cold emptiness surrounded her like black ink; she cringed, thinking of the night she'd conceived her child. The night Darien and Rei had erased from her mind, leaving her with Swiss cheese for a brain. "Don't do this to me!" she cried out into the darkness.

Demand said, from afar, "I didn't do THAT to you, Serena. I want you to remember that, when you go back to your Endymion, that even though I once foolishly tried to brainwash you into loving me, I did NOT leave you and hurt you, I did NOT break into your room to make love to you, then have your own subordinate erase your memory, leaving you with this black hole in your brain and a fetus in your womb."

Serena cried, still cold and shivering; still alone. But the blackness lifted a bit; her eyes adjusted to a barely visible large bedroom.

Demand said, "Tell me, if you were to give in to your most hidden secret desires, and walk over to that bed, and ask me to join you—"

"No!" Serena said, blotting out the thought of this large, strong man taking her on the bed in this room. But her mind was assaulted with images of just that thing happening, anyway. She saw herself in that bed she'd seen earlier, only now he'd come in to her, and they were kissing madly, pulling off clothes, grasping each other-.

Serena begged, "Stop this! Stop these thoughts!"

Demand stepped forward. Touched her chin. "Only you can do that. I can release you now, Serena. Or we can fill in these inky black holes in your memory. But you have to calm down and let it happen."

He knelt down before her. "Just think of all this as a dream, Serena. —Really, that's all it is!"

"I don't WANT you!" she yelled out into the empty darkness. Fear constricted her throat. She wondered if she'd be alone forever now; cut off. She couldn't feel Darien anymore; what if she never woke up? What if this wasn't a dream; if it was her new reality.

Serena stumbled forward nervously, wanting human contact desperately. She fell into Demand's arms, exulted in his warm embrace. "You're here," she said, relieved. She let him cuddle her close to his chest.

She lifted her head, heart racing; her mouth blindly found his face, and she brushed her lips against his. Guilt wracked her body with the touch; this wasn't Darien. She wanted to cry.

When Demand hesitated, and even moved his face away from her, she put her hand to his face and kissed him. Still, he hesitated. Thoughts of Darien fled as a strange desire for Demand filled her suddenly, maddeningly. She wrapped her hands around his head; finally felt him respond to her, just the slightest movement of his lips. He kissed her lips back tenderly. She encouraged him deftly, flicking her tongue against his lips, tasting him.

And then he kissed her, parting her lips easily with his tongue. She welcomed his invasion passionately, moaning into his mouth as he took over the kiss, pulling her closer to him rapturously, and exploring her mouth with desire reborn. Serena gasped in ecstasy as his hands started roaming over her arms, her chest; she dropped her hands to his hips to allow him better access to her breasts. She got that familiar ache between her legs as Demand's kisses moved down her neck.

.

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Serena woke sharply, jumping up, still shaking from an unwanted orgasm. The room was dark ...she was at home, in her bedroom. She startled again when she realized she wasn't alone; legs were tangled in hers. She jumped, just as she realized it was Darien. She remembered now that Darien had brought her home last night, and then left. But he'd later shown up in the middle of the night, climbing in through her window, quietly sliding into bed beside her.

She disentangled herself from him and stood up, fearing what she might feel between her legs. But as she walked over to her mirror, she was relieved to feel no wetness there. Her forehead shone with a crescent moon, softly illuminating her face. "_Demand_," she whispered to herself. She blinked away tears as the harsh glow of reality showed her swollen, well-kissed lips.

Confused, she dashed to the bathroom, knowing Darien couldn't follow her there—not in her parent's house. She closed the door quietly and sat on the toilet, felt that while she had evidence of an orgasm, there wasn't evidence that Demand had touched her or ..that she'd had sex since Darien had bathed her earlier. She started shaking violently, remembering every detail of that dream, knowing that, in some sense, those kisses with Demand had been perfectly real. To her, even more real than her first time with Darien, which was still an inky black nightmare.

She breathed in sharply upon thinking of Darien. Shook her head furiously when she imagined telling him about this dream. But she knew she had to tell it. Her dreams had been invaded by that whole family; she'd remembered new things from her previous life, particularly her final battle with Galaxia. But ultimately, she'd fallen into Demand's arms. Her mind swam with disgust. Nausea overcame her; she bent over the toilet and threw up violently.

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Rubeus blustered, "You're completely useless. We could all feel it; you had her in the palm of your hands!"

Saphir agreed, emphatically. "It took so much WORK to get into her mind, Demand! And you Set. Her. Free without any guarantees!"

Demand turned on Saphir. "I have her HEART, gentlemen."

"Even if that were true, brother, who GIVES a shit?" Saphir demanded. "Besides you, of course."

"We have SERENITY on OUR side now, because she _wants _to be on our side! There's nothing to fight now! We don't have to worry that her meddling friends will find a way to disable a compulsion we planted, because we didn't plant anything! We got MORE than we hoped for."

.

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_Casualties_

Serena walked with Darien through the park, clearly upset. Darien was concerned about her, but she'd pushed him away at every attempt to talk until now. He couldn't fathom what was disturbing her so much.

They got to a semi-private bench and sat. She dropped her backpack down, grabbed his hands, and faced him. Tears in her eyes.

"What is it, Sere?" he asked, starting to get disturbed himself. He'd rarely seen her this upset; it definitely left him unsettled.

"Dare," she started, tears welling up in her eyes. "I pinky-swore I'd be completely honest with you, and I have to tell you—"

He grasped her hands back: "You're not considering an abortion. Please, Serena—!"

She shook her head. "Of course not, Darien!" She closed her eyes; tears fell. "You have to let me talk," she half-laughed, half-cried. And when he nodded, she said, "First, I want you to know that no matter what I tell you now, I love you. You won't believe that, but it's true." Then, "You remember that night we conceived."

Darien was shaken up; of course he remembered. The problem was, she didn't. He was deeply ashamed of that night. "I'm sorry—"

"No no no," she stopped him. "This isn't about what you did; it's about me." She kneaded her hands together, thinking and nervous. Making herself breath calmly, she said, "You know how you had that —that prophetic dream of me in the future and you didn't know where it came from?" When Darien stared at her, confused, she added, "I —I don't know what your dream was like. But I had a dream last night, too. And you'll never understand it._ I don't understand it!_ I don't know how much of it was real..." Her chin started trembling.

Darien's eyes welled up with tears now, thinking of the consequences of his dream. "Serena, we can get through anything if we're together. Anything! But we NEED to be together."

Serena nodded. "I need to be with you. You're ..you're my _soulmate_, Darien. But you're going to break up with me. With good reason. —And I'm sorry!" She cried uncontrollably; he hugged her, desperately. Darien grabbed her face, kissed her. She melted under his touch, joined him in one of the most passionate kisses they'd ever shared, replete with tears and sobs and outpourings of love.

Her hands reached his face; she gently pushed him back. "My dream is to be Mrs. Darien Chiba. I love you so much I— I want to be YOURS."

"You are," Darien said emphatically.

"Darien, —the dream. Last night." She sniffed, looked away. "I was taken to ..this cold place. It was a lot like Rei's .._work_." She was at a loss as to how to describe the similarities. "But I wasn't at home this time. That doesn't really matter, believe me. Saphir was there and ..I don't know, they were somehow holding me. Torturing me. It was cold, and I was avoiding looking at them because I remembered they had these hypnotic abilities, and I was struggling against them."

Darien had blanched, imperceptibly he hoped, when Serena mentioned Saphir. The Black Moon family. He knew, he already knew, Diamond had been successful this time. He'd broken into her mind, with him right in bed beside Serena, and forced himself upon her.

"They threw an egg at me, and this monster grew up under me, and it picked me up by the hair." She looked up: "High up in the air. I guess so I'd have to open my eyes. I didn't look at them, even then..!" she rubbed the back of her head, "..it hurt so much! I was screaming. And then Prince Diamond dusted the monster." Beat. "Darien, I knew it was a dream. We even talked about how it was a dream. They knew about the night we conceived, and claimed that .._Rei's work_ left a black hole in my mind, and that was how they were able to get into my dreams."

"Did they hurt you?" Darien demanded.

Serena turned to him, haunted look in her eyes: "Yes!" But then she looked down; shook her head. "Darien I don't know. I thought for sure I'd have bruises from being dropped 20 feet onto a rock floor!" She held up her arms, showing him the lack of bruises. Fear shot through her at her sudden memory of Rei's mindwarp. Haunted, she said, "After Rei erased my memories," she swallowed, "I woke up and had physical evidence of our night together. But not this time. So I have no idea what happened last night; what was real—"

Darien grew impatient: "You were physically with me the whole night, Serena. EVERYTHING that happened was in your mind. But that doesn't mean it wasn't real; that they didn't hurt you." He held her wrists, rubbed her hands with his thumbs, hoping to earn her trust and calm her down.

She looked away. "Darien, ...there was a time I was completely alone. I'd lost you, the Senshi, other Senshi we haven't met yet, best friends, Chibiusa— that's our daughter." She didn't notice Darien's eyes growing wider, and then huge, as she spoke. Continuing, she said, "I was the last one standing against this woman from another solar system. She called herself Galaxia. She had been an honorable Senshi herself, maybe the best ever, but she—"

"Wait a minute," Darien said, softly. Worried about where she'd left off with the Black Moon brothers before, but confused about these new memories of hers. "This happened?"

Serena nodded. "Yeah. Sailor Galaxia felt she was so strong that she could envelope Chaos and contain it within her."

"She failed?" Darien asked.

Serena looked up at her prince, her real Prince, and nodded wide-eyed. "Miserably. Sailor Galaxia BECAME Chaos, our ultimate enemy."

"Didn't someone say that the future you had scattered Chaos?" Darien asked carefully.

Serena nodded. "Yeah, Prince Diamond. _Demand._ He was truthful about that. I can feel it in my soul now, the truth of Chaos being dispersed. Because I was remembering being the last one standing, Darien, and everyone else was gone, and Galaxia and I were at ..this place. The last place in the world. I had decided not to fight Galaxia, and she was furious —THAT'S where my white sword comes from. Sort of. I think. —It comes from the end of the world." She thought for a second, then corrected, "I mean, the beginning...? Whatever you'd call it." Serena looked up at Darien, eyes wide.

"You're sure this was .._real_?" he asked. "Maybe the Black Moonies planted those memories, Sere."

Serena shrugged, "They didn't. These memories came rushing in on me during the dream. I was utterly, _utterly _alone last night, and that's when I remembered this battle with Galaxia. I remembered defending against Galaxia's attacks with my sword, but I wouldn't strike her with it." Serena got lost in those memories again and remained quiet..

"Why the hell not?" Darien asked, confused.

Serena gasped, as if shocked by her own thoughts, looked at him. "Dare, I love this world! I want to be the champion of justice! I want to do it hand-in-hand with you." She blinked, looked away. "With Galaxia, I —I saved her from falling into the cauldron. —Basically a black hole." She looked back at Darien and said, "She asked me why I saved my mortal enemy." Serena wept softly. "I said, I loved her. I didn't want to be alone. So I reached out for her and saved her."

Darien shook his head angrily, hoping he hadn't understood her correctly. "Are you saying you could have gotten rid of all evil, but you _saved _it?"

Serena shrunk into herself. She hadn't even gotten to the bad part yet. "It figures in to my dream from last night Darien."

Darien turned on her. "You saved Diamond?"

Serena cringed. "No. Not yet, anyway—"

"Not YET?" Darien railed. "Serena, they ..broke into your mind last night! TORTURED you! There's no '_not yet_' in that equation!"

Serena said, "Darien, you have to hear me out." At his dark stare, she continued. "The Black Moon family was screaming at me, trying to get me to look at them. They threw that monster at me, they said they wanted me to die—"

"Lovely group," Darien growled out. He'd have to check with Luna and Rei both on protecting Serena against such invasions asap.

Serena hung her head. "Demand got me to a private room, to protect me from the others."

"Oh come on!" Darien said. "You make him out to be the hero of the story, Serena!"

Serena shook her head. "No, Darien! I knew he'd been manipulating me all along. I'd been seeing images of him the whole time I was in the dark crystal palace. Images that WEREN'T mine, but came into my head anyway!"

"Sexual," Darien stated.

"Um, sorta," she said, uncomfortably. "That happened earlier in the ..the dream. While Saphir and Rubeus were taunting me. But I knew they were his manipulations; that's the point. And Demand also reminded me that he'd given his life for me, and then he told me how the family had broken into my dreams, through a breach left by Rei."

Darien stood, kicked her backpack angrily. "Did he hurt you?"

Serena startled at his violence. She said, "He insisted that I loved him. I told him that I knew he was invading my head with these fake images—"

Darien's anger was near a boiling point, but somehow he didn't let it show. He hissed, "I wish you could have woken up and told me what was going on."

"Darien, I tried. —But I was in a battle, and to quit might have meant my life. I think I tried earlier to wake up, but they brought me back, and my mind was all over the place. I was just trying to fight them."

Darien nodded. "I know." And somehow, he did know. He'd been tortured by Beryl's mental manipulations and, while his memories of that time were far from complete, the knowledge of the mind tampering was there. He _knew_.

Serena said, "I need to ask Rei a LOT more about what she did to my brain that night. But I needed to be fully honest with you, first. Because I'm not sure what was real, or how they did any of that stuff..."

She looked down at her feet. "Demand told me that he loved me, and that I loved him. I told him I didn't love him, ...but I admitted that I did I care about what happened to him and his family."

She looked at Darien, "And that's the truth, Dare. I know you hate him, and you hate what he did to me. And I don't 'love' him and want to be with him or anything. But I do care about him. I kept remembering how he threw himself before Wiseman's attack, and then how he killed Wiseman for me with his dying strength. And before he had_ ..died_," she gasped a sob. Took a moment. "He had asked me to promise..."

Serena, wiping her eyes, continued painfully, "He had asked me to promise to get his family off that desolate moon and back to earth, so they could lead normal lives. And I had promised him I would!" She wiped her tears. "On. his. deathbed!" She paused, shuddering at the memory anew. "But ..I guess I forgot it, all those years later. And history repeated itself. —whatever happened, the families are still exiled there, Darien. Innocents, as well as the Black Moon Clan had once been. All descendants of criminals, but not criminals themselves." Beat. "And they're there now. Forgotten. Because of me. I failed to help them after Demand gave his life for me."

Darien softened a bit, though it pained him that Serena didn't recall that others had thrown themselves under the bus for her, as well. He let that thought go, and said, softly, "Serena, you couldn't possibly know now what you did in ..in another lifetime! You can't defend it, because you didn't DO it. You're a fourteen year old girl who only months ago met Luna and —Serena, YOU didn't do it."

"I DID," Serena insisted. "Darien, I'm remembering those things like they were yesterday now. I feel like I'm waking up. And there's got to be a reason for it." She looked down. "I've made some big mistakes, all through these lives, and I've got to fix them. I'm starting here, with you. And then I'm going to go home and tell my parents that I'm pregnant—"

"Woah woah woah, —don't you think I should be there for that?" Darien bristled, completely shocked by this announcement.

She shook her head. "Darien, you won't be."

His blood ran cold. "Serena, it was a dream. A dream they controlled!"

She shook her head again. He was so angry that she couldn't even take a last kiss from him now. She had to finish it. "Darien, Demand gave me the choice to wake up."

She held her breath, feeling his cold gaze. "Demand said he could send me home. Or, that they could fix my memories from what Rei did." She glanced up at him: "The inky black nightmares?" Darien was non-responsive, but she could see the veins in his neck throbbing. She considered reminding him how bad those dreams had been, but acquiesced to simply telling the ugly truth.

"I was freezing, Darien. And Demand..." she closed her eyes, tears rolling down her face, not really knowing how to say it. "Whenever he was near me, he was so warm." She paused, took a breath. "I told him I couldn't be there with him. I —I don't know how they were going to '_fix_' me, but I suppose he had to be in that room with me. I guess it seemed like I kept changing my mind, but finally, —he threatened to leave. And I couldn't bear it, Darien. I stopped him."

Darien waited. He felt he already had plenty of reason to hunt down this so-called prince and kill him, but Darien waited. Had to hear it.

"I didn't want him to leave. I went to Demand and ..and I kissed him." Beat. "He started kissing me back."

Darien held up his hand; shook HIS head. Completely not expecting that. "What?"

Serena nodded sadly. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I'd love to blame the images he kept putting in my mind, but none of it fooled me. I knew he'd been playing mind games; it didn't fool me at all." She swallowed hard. "But somehow, I guess I was just so ..alone. And cold. Maybe I was just that desperate to get my memories back—"

Darien, aghast, backed up a step and asked, "Did you share a bed with him?"

Serena, face downcast with shame, said, "No. ...I woke up."

Darien stared at her; she didn't move. Until he seemingly laughed, but she looked up and saw it was more of a sob. His hand was over his face; his agony apparent. He shrugged, madly. "Well were you enjoying yourself, Serena? WOULD you have slept with him if you hadn't woken up? Was it going there?"

Serena, forcing her memories out of her head now, shook her head furiously: "I ..HOPE not, Darien!"

Darien, tears threatening, yelled, "You wanted him! I knew—!"

"No!" Serena yelled back, ashamed, weeping. "I can't explain it. I fought against them all. But in the end— I'm so sorry, Darien! I wish—"

"WHY?" he demanded. "Are you attracted to him?"

Serena winced, cried, at Darien's harshness. "No! I've never felt an attraction for him, in any life! ANGER, and FEAR, those things I felt for him!"

Darien glared at her wide-eyed, trying to calm himself down. It was a dream. "Anger, and fear," he repeated.

Serena nodded, "Of course! I don't recall meeting him the first time; he has told me that I was angry at him, and he attacked me, and tried to ..take me from you. He had some strange infatuation with me because I was _angry_. So anger, definitely." She paused. "I don't recall that directly, but it sounds true."

She continued, "The fear, I remember clearly. I remember him trying to brainwash me, and it failed, but he was going to ..to force himself on me anyway. Everytime I think of him, THAT'S the first image I get now. He even complained about that last night—"

"He complained that you feared being raped," Darien spat out, angrily. "—how'd he talk you out of that, Serena?"

"He didn't!" she stood, tears streaking her face. "I feared him the moment I felt his presence, Darien. I fear him _now_."

"But you kissed him," Darien seethed, disgusted. "There's something you're not divulging."

"No!" she exclaimed. "We were in a dark room; he kept getting mad at me; I was PETRIFIED of him! There was a bed in that room, and he told me to go to it, and I thought I'd rather die—!"

"What changed?" Darien exclaimed back at her, making her shrink away from him.

"I don't know," she said miserably. Crying. "I told you I can't explain it."

"No," Darien said with seething anger. "You felt GRATITUDE for him! You said it earlier, how he saved you by giving his own life for you! Even your FRIENDS thought there must have been something between you two for him to give his life for you!" He glared at her: "You've got some soft spot for him, even though he ..he broke into you MIND, Serena! Did you think about US at all, Sere? ME?" he asked, pained. Confused.

"Of course!" she sobbed.

Darien nodded. Angrily. Hurtfully. "Demand's surely not the only one who's given his life for you." He stomped up to her, wanting to slap some sense into her. "Dammit Serena, what do you expect me to—? How am I supposed to fight this guy now, Serena? He knows he could have fucked my WIFE! My.. _whatever_ you are. —and while you're carrying MY CHILD!"

Serena, head buried in her hands, insisted, "We _can't_ fight them Darien!" Daring to look up at him, she begged, "I've got to help them. I had promised I would, and I failed the first time. I don't know about the rest of that dream, but I know it's wrong for us to hunt them down now. We have to HELP them—"

He backed up a step, dizzy, disappointed. "You want to HELP these people," he sneered. "That's like me wanting to HELP Beryl after she mind-raped me, Serena! It makes no sense... unless I was carrying some kind of TORCH for Beryl all along ..." He turned away, seeing an ugly truth he just couldn't bear right now. "—I know you're 14. Pie in the sky. Maybe this is my fault, thinking you might be able to exercise some kind of judgment..."

He walked away from her, quickly, leaving her balled up and sobbing. It had gone just about as bad as she'd expected. And soon, she'd have to go home and tell her parents.

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Darien stomped into Rei's temple, happy to see the rest of the group there.

Lita noticed immediately how upset he was; asked if something was wrong with Serena.

Darien, choked up, looked at Lita and stabbed his finger at her: "DIAMOND broke into her mind last night, —and she kissed him!"

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"I'm sorry, Father"

"Serena, you can't be SORRY for— okay, who's the father? Why haven't I seen hide nor hair of him?"

Mrs. Tsukino gently interrupted, "Maybe it was that nice Darien from last night?"

"I KNEW it!" Mr. Tsukino blared. "Here I'd thought he was a nice teacher from your school, escorting you home! Explains the better grades you've been getting. But _noooo_! He was a pervert who took advantage of you!"

"Father, Darien is not a pervert. He's a very nice man."

"He's a very OLD man, Serena! —Why isn't he here?" her father demanded.

Serena winced. "I think he might be one day. But right now, he's upset that I betrayed him with another man."

"Another man!" her mother belted out. "Serena! You're FOURTEEN! _Another_ man—?"

"It was a dream, Mama," Serena said, sadly. "I just told him about it, and he's very hurt by it, and feels I'm immature and untrustworthy."

"You know what '_immature_' is?" her father blustered. "Not using a condom. —How often have you...?"

"Only with Darien, Father; and I'm afraid I got pregnant the first time we were together. I'm sorry. I should have been more responsible. I just got caught up..." she lied. There was no way she'd be able to explain the breakup, sneak-in, and mindwarp that preceded the actual pregnancy.

"Do you love him?" her mother asked, worriedly.

"Very much, Mother. And he loves me. He's just very hurt right now. Understandably so."

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Luna spat into the fires. "So you're saying, you think you exposed her mind to the entire world. Made an interstate into her brain so any loon criminal can find it and ..do as they please to her. To Serena. The girl who's supposed to play a substantial role in building a future here."

Rei was miserable. "I hadn't done it before, Luna. I mean, except in battles, of course. I didn't know it would plow a road into her mind!"

Ami was still weeping, having warned Rei over and over that such a maneuver would come back to visit pains upon the victim.

Lita said, "Well, okay, what if we get in there and erase whatever Diamond did to her, then—"

Rei said quickly, "_No!_" Then, "—They closed her mind up, anyway. I looked." To Luna, she said quickly, "_LOOKED_, that's all! While Darien was talking." She looked at the rest of the group now. "Serena's completely covered again; no 'black holes' or interstates."

Darien said, "Yeah, but the new memories involve her playing tonsil hockey with Prince Diamond! I can't believe she ...I could understand if he at least brainwashed her, but she went to HIM and kissed HIM—"

"You know Darien," Ami said shockingly loud, "the Black Moon family couldn't have attacked her last night if it weren't for YOU, and REI, trying to hide the truth from Serena from the beginning." She stood. "And so what if she wants to help them? That's what SHE DOES! She doesn't kill people, at least not easily. She HEALS them."

"She's Carrying My Child, Ami!" Darien spat out. "Imagine that —pregnant with my child, making out with my arch-enemy! IN LOVE WITH him! —Sorry, I can't imagine standing by her every time she tries to '_save_' someone new," Darien spat out.

Luna said, "Mr. Chiba, that was a _dream_! We don't know the nature of it! It doesn't sound to me like there was any actual event at all."

"She had a WET DREAM!" Darien exclaimed. "Thanks to Diamond." Beat. "—And he can have her. I'm done with her. Romantically. I'll be a father to her child, but —he's wanted her so long; through LIFETIMES! He gave his life for her, she '_had to watch him die_' after he saved her life. He's even got a matching crescent moon on his forehead to go with hers. —I bet that's why she thinks they're fated to be together!"

"Darien, you sound ignorant and jealous," Rei said, bored. But secretly scared for Serena. She added spitefully, "This is Serena. She doesn't do that sort of thing. I'd be willing to wager you could put her naked in a _sex _room with Diamond and she wouldn't let him touch her."

Mina stood up, demanding attention as she did so. "Whether she wants to admit it or not, she was VIOLATED last night. She didn't seek them out; they found a break in her memories and INVADED her. As a TEAM. And took her unaware. They TORTURED her. —does none of this sound _specious _to you, Darien? Just forget the rest for a minute, and think about what ACTUALLY happened."

Darien thought about it. Didn't care.

Ami said, "In case you haven't noticed, Serena tends to take responsibility for ..everything. When Molly was nearly raped, Serena blamed herself. When the Black Moon family first attacked us, she ALONE went to a gaping black hole in the sky thinking she could nip it in the bud. She probably imagined some previous slight of hers was responsible for the hole."

Rei said, "Actually, she DOES thinks she's responsible for that hole. Darien said she felt bad about a previous version of herself not honoring a promise she made to the dying Prince Diamond."

Luna picked up her notes: "I think I'm getting the picture." She had their attention. "You see, here's a rough timeline," and she showed them her diagram of the current timeline with a parallel timeline. "Up here, she's battled Galaxia, and then everybody's reborn to their previous states," she pointed to arrow lines drawn from the end of the top timeline to the earlier periods of the bottom timeline, "only now Chaos is spread to each person, _etc etc_. Sailor Moon, of that time, goes on to live with Mr. Chiba here, they make Crystal Tokyo as they've done in the future before, but NOW, the Black Moon Family isn't even an issue because they were apparently killed in the PAST." She marks a big black X on the top timeline.

Lita said, "But how'd the Black Moon Family get to Nemesis in this new ..'timeline'? That doesn't make any sense."

Ami picked up here: "No, there's been several iterations, but one didn't cancel the others out. Original timeline, Serenity and Endymion exile the Black Moon family to NEMESIS. They follow your daughter," she looked up at Darien, "to the past, where Serena eventually promises to help the exiles on Nemesis. But there's a rebirth during Serena's battle with Galaxia, which gives the Nemesis people new life, and possibly Serenity and Endymion have a different future - no Black Moon family threat; no need to send your daughter to the past... BUT the people of Nemesis are still exiled there, because that's where they '_came back to life_'."

Darien rolled his eyes. "You've got to be kidding me!"

Rei joined in with the timeline talk, though: "And now, out of self-preservation, the Black Moon family who have been truly forgotten come back to the only place they had any measure of success. They wanted to kill Sailor Moon so she couldn't exile them again." She smiled.

And Luna finished: "Only they don't know that they were exiled several timelines ago! I suppose now, some of the them like Diamond are aware of at least one timeline and rebirth; but maybe to the rest, it's like the same timeline. The best Serena could do now is seek out exiles and ...free them."

Darien let it all sink in. Bit his bottom lip in thought. Then said, "She would have slept with him if she hadn't woken up!"

Lita said, "It was a DREAM, Darien. If those count, then you and I have had sex more than once, too."

Darien blustered, then blushed. "It's not the same. Demand was somehow actually IN her head. And she WENT to him. With me RIGHT THERE!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Negaverse Rising**

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**Chapter 5  
Contact**

Rei had been using her fires, this time in earnest, with Luna's blessing and the Senshis' help, to try to contact the Black Moon family. The Senshi had almost-unanimously decided to be more proactive in making contact with the Black Moon Clan and coming to terms with them, if only by trying to help them contact the future kingdom.

Weeks had passed, and Darien was still hurt so much by Serena's confession that he simply stayed away from her. He stayed away from them all; tried to avoid anything that reminded him of her, because everytime he thought about her, he thought about her betrayal. The other Senshi went to check on him intermittently; if found, he always insisted he had thrown himself into his studies. They kept him informed of their progress, and Serena's general health, which he said he appreciated, but always before dismissing them coldly. Before the conversation might become any more personal than that. His was a wound that wouldn't heal anytime soon.

Serena, meanwhile, focused hard on her studies, as that was part of her parents' rules if she were to prove herself capable of keeping and helping raise a baby. Her parents had accepted her pregnancy, albeit initially with great disappointment in her 'reckless behavior', and insisted that Shingo grow up a bit as well, so he could be a proper uncle for the coming newborn.

And finally, Rei made contact with the Black Moon family.

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Serena and Rei were walking through the park on the way from the arcade. Serena asked, "Is Darien coming?"

Rei shook her head, held Serena's hand. "You know this is all my fault, don't you?"

Serena said, "Rei, we've all made a lot of mistakes. We're going to continue making them. But when you tried to erase that one night from my memory, you were just trying to help Darien not be miserable. I get that. I get that now more than ever." Serena sighed, and she said more lightly, "And if the Black Moon Clan hadn't attacked me through my dreams, that ..meeting with Demand might have happened in real life somewhere. That's just as scary to me."

"You wouldn't have kissed him," Rei said.

"No," Serena agreed, "but the last time we were alone in a real life, he intended to rape me." She said it matter-of-factly now.

"Then he got himself killed saving you," Rei smiled, slightly.

Serena nodded. "He loved me," she allowed. "And his sacrifice made it possible for Darien and I to live on, and have at least one child that we know of. Made Crystal Tokyo possible! If he'd lived..." she shrugged. "I think he would have figured out his own way of saving his family."

Rei said, "You're nervous."

"I am," Serena agreed.

They walked upon Ami, Mina, Artemis, and Luna. "Where's Lita?"

Mina smiled widely: "She's, uh, getting her hair done."

All the girls looked shocked, but Rei laughed. "Sure, a meeting with the Black Moon family is an opportunity to hook up!"

And then Darien walked into the clearing.

Rei, startled, grasped Serena's hand harder and said, "Hey, Darien! Great you could make it."

Darien didn't respond; didn't look at any of them. Took a seat at a nearby bench. Rei felt Serena grasp her hand back even harder. Rei whispered, "This is going to be a barrel of laughs."

"Seriously!" Mina laughed, breaking the sudden tension somewhat.

Serena was crushed that Darien was still so hurt. Tears welled up in her eyes. There was so much she wanted to tell him. Not a night had gone by that she hadn't ached for him. But she'd also come to realize that the man was beautiful and could find another girl one day, one who was hopefully more deserving of his love than she had proved to be. Serena accepted Rei's hug, and wiped her dampened eyes on Rei's shirt.

"Thanks," Rei whispered wryly.

Then suddenly three figures shimmered in from thin air: the red-haired Rubeus, the dark Saphir, and finally, Prince Demand. They were dressed in more present-day attire, but still clearly not of this world. They could have passed for Greek gods, all of them.

Lita finally arrived, hair flowing behind her: "HEY!" She rushed over to Mina, who was at the head of the group, alongside the cats. Stuck her hand out. "Guess y'all remember me! I'm Lita! _Sooooo _pleased you could come to our little soiree!"

Rei grumbled under her breath in extreme embarrassment. The three Black Moon siblings took turns awkwardly shaking Lita's hand, although Demand was staring at Serena. Serena had waved slightly, then glanced away from the group. Darien was sure to watch that exchange, even though seeing Serena anywhere near Demand twisted a knife in his gut.

Saphir said, primarily to Mina, "So, what can we do for this illustrious group of Senshi?"

Serena brought them all up short when she stepped forward and quickly asked, "Can you communicate with the future?"

Demand smiled, "Told you," he said to Saphir.

Saphir nodded, first to Demand, then Serena. "It's dangerous," he answered, matter-of-factly. "It's not like cellular service, either."

"Not anymore," Rubeus glowered at Serena. "Your Highness trussed us up pretty well."

Ami said, "We think we can help you if you can get us through to Serenity and Endymion of that time. Can you do that?"

Demand laughed, but it was Rubeus who rudely said, "If we could do that, Senshi, we would have already DONE that." Then he glared at Serena, "What part of DESOLATE MOON don't you understand? If they knew about us, they would have been there without your intervention!"

Saphir added sourly, "Guns a'blazing."

Rei asked, "So you can time travel back and forth, but only to this moon?" That was unexpected; Rei shared a look with Luna.

Rubeus said, "We're not giving you blueprints to our safeholds and technologies, Fire Witch."

Rei snapped, "'_Witch_'?"

Serena jumped: "She's not asking for that." Desperately, "Can you get me there?"

Demand said, "You're not traveling through time, Serena. —But the thought is appreciated."

Saphir said, slowly, "You're AWARE that you destroyed your crystal? Short of forcing you to travel with a dark energy source—"

Serena objected, "I've got the Silver Crystal!"

Rubeus countered loudly, "Even if that crystal remains stable, which would be a paradox since it's dispersed in the future, the ways are open only to NEMESIS. All other time travel is impossible! —Your future self made damned sure of that."

Serena said, "Okay. —Okay, then, get me to your moon. If nothing else, I'd get some attention and you know it!"

Rubeus countered again, "By blowing yourself up with an impossible crystal? THAT might be interesting. I can see it now. '_Oh look, Serenity, a new supernova!_' —Don't think so!"

Darien had stepped up behind Serena, and now possessively grabbed her arm: "We are NOT doing this."

Serena, blinking back emotion, turned to Darien, pleaded, "I can DO this. I've GOT to do this. Please!"

Darien, all thoughts of the last few weeks dissipated now, pleaded back, "You're pregnant, Serena. Even _THEY _say it's not safe—"

She shook her head: "But I've GOT to try. I don't want to hurt you anymore, Darien, but I can't ignore the pain I've caused others, either." She pulled his face down to hers, kissed him. Closed her eyes as she held his face to hers: "If I don't do this, I'm not the girl you loved. I wouldn't deserve you."

"You're insane," he breathed back, not wanting to make it too obvious how much he was reveling in her touch right now. In front of the whole world. He captured her lips again. "I love you." He wrapped his arms around her now. "If you go, I'm going with you."

She opened her eyes onto him, forgetting the world around her. "Really?"

As he grabbed her even more forcefully, nearly lifting her off the ground, he heard Rubeus comment obnoxiously, "Oh my God they were like this for ALL thirty centuries? No wonder Chaos keeled over and died." Beat. "Hello people. The world is NOT your hotel room, Thank you."

"I think it's sorta hot," Lita gleamed, smiling at the dark, beautiful one they called Saphir.

Serena's eyes closed in embarrassment; she rubbed Darien's shoulders and turned around, his arms wrapped firmly around her waist. "We want to go together," she announced loudly.

Rubeus rolled his eyes, "Oh, thank God! I'm sure that'll solve everything."

Demand shook his head at Serena: "You don't understand what it's like to time travel!" He broke ranks and went to Serena. "I know you mean well, and we appreciate it. But what you're proposing isn't like hopping the red eye to New York!"

She retorted, "I've bounced all over time, Demand, and you know it!" She knew he knew it; she didn't know how he knew it. He was toying with her. A bit angrily, she said, "You of all people KNOW I can do this; you WANT me to do it; we need you to HELP me do it! Isn't that what you wanted?"

Demand closed his eyes, reveling in the Moon Princess' anger, just like he had the first time he met her. "I'll help."

Saphir said, "Oh, _HERE _we go again. Nice way to stand together as a team—"

Demand, opening his eyes again, smiling warmly at the pint-sized princess, he bowed slightly, "As always, I'm at your beckon call—"

Demand was met with a fist to the face, a punch which landed hard enough to throw Demand back on the ground. Followed by Darien jumping on him, grabbing his collar to hold him still so he could punch him again—

A flurry of Senshi and Greek gods pulled the men apart, with Serena screaming, standing in front of Demand tending to his eye with tissues.

Rubeus, a bit shaken up at the uneasy truce being smashed so quickly, said, "Okay, Demand, I think we must have overstepped a boundary. And by '_we_', I mean *_you_*!" He looked at Saphir, "I TOLD you we should have left him back!"

Demand looked at Serena, smiling through a bloody lip: "What's his problem?" A bit more loudly, "Maybe he KNOWS competition when he sees it."

Serena said quickly and quietly, "You're not helping—"

Darien burst out from behind Lita and Rei, pulling against the Senshi holding him back: "She told me everything! You _did _something to her, to make her want you—!"

Demand looked at Serena, thoroughly shocked. To Darien, he said, "I've literally been reborn since that time! And that effort failed even then—!"

Serena shook her head, pushing Demand back from Darien. Announced, loud enough for Darien to hear, "I told him about the dream. How I kissed you." She hated reliving that night, but tried biting back any sorrow that was seeping through. She needed to be fiercely honest to get through this time travel venture.

"What?" Demand said, glancing uncomfortably at an explosive Endymion. But then recalling, he said, "Ah! Saphir it looks like your healing wasn't quite what we expected!" To Serena, Demand said, "You remember something which wasn't supposed to be remembered. You shouldn't have had any recollection of a kiss. I'm sorry—"

"You're going DOWN!" Darien yelled, nearly jerking Rei and Lita both to the ground.

Serena stepped back to Darien, shocked at how bad this was going. Tearfully, she begged, "You're mad at _me_, Darien. Not them—"

"No I'm mad at THEM!" Darien angrily retorted

"We NEED them," Serena begged, trying to smile. "Please, if you've ever felt anything for me don't DO this—!"

Demand stepped forward again: "Serena it didn't happen that way! Anything you said about that night—"

Rubeus laughed out loud, "You didn't kiss HIM, you silly _twi-_ ..Highness!"

They ALL turned to Rubeus. Even Darien.

Serena cleared her throat, and spoke what she didn't want aired in public. "I kissed Demand, Rubeus. I remember it clearly. You weren't there; I was—"

Demand said, sheepishly, "Serena, I'm afraid your memories are lying to you. I had to calm you down, long enough for Saphir to be able to heal your brain, —but apparently I strike the fear of God in you. So I appeared to you as your Endymion." He shrugged. "It did the job. Or at least, we THOUGHT it did. You weren't supposed to recall any of it, though!"

Everybody was stunned silent. Darien asked, truly confused now, "She thought you were me?"

And then the chattering started, but a confused Serena said, "Demand, I remember kissing YOU!" She was shivering. She was severely uncomfortable with the thought of having had another mind wipe to contend with. With a breaking voice, she forced a smile and said, "If you're trying to throw yourself under the bus for me again, you don't have to. We're not going to be successful here if we're not honest. I completely own my actions."

Demand said, "Oh you do, do you?" Wryly, with a chuckle, he asked, "Then why haven't you run into my arms and kissed me yet, Serena? Are you just waiting till we're alone?"

Serena thought furiously, mostly concerned with her mind playing tricks on her again. She stated, near tears, "I never saw Darien there. I don't know why I kissed you, but I know I did."

Rei had come up to Serena, and now said, "You thought you'd been _raped_ by the Negaverse, too, Sere, when it was Darien all along."

Serena sat hard on the ground, no longer concerned with getting to the future, or being pregnant, or anything at all except the nature of her memories. Rei and Ami both knelt beside her, Ami especially sore over yet another mind wipe happening to Serena. Ami looked up at Demand: "You _KNEW _this had happened to her before, and you did it _again_?"

Darien, for his part, was crushed just watching Serena now. Demand was ultimately right — Serena clearly wasn't lusting after Demand. Lita was lusting over all the brothers, but Serena was comfortable kissing him in front of Demand; hadn't even hesitated when he embraced her after weeks of separation.

And Serena... Serena looked alone, even surrounded by friends as she was. She looked confused. Damaged. Not unlike the day after he'd gone into her and later had Rei erase her memories.

And he saw now that, in his despair, he'd completely missed all the clear, obvious signs that Serena's despair went well beyond thinking she had betrayed him. She had never understood why she'd been running from the Black Moon family all night, only to turn around and make out with one of them. Much like she never understood why he wouldn't speak to her the day after she'd seen him in her dreams. The world had stopped making sense to her.

Saphir, quite bored with the kissing melodrama, said loudly and with authority, "We saw an opportunity to breach your memories and plant a compulsion device so you would want to help us, Young Queen." Beat. "But when Demand reported that you would help us without compulsion, and we tested it and found it to be true, we decided to seal the breach in your memories. After what your friend Hino did to our droids, we had been able to study the mechanisms of the breaches and figure out exactly what she did. We knew how to fix it."

Saphir shrugged, continued: "But they were droids, I suppose; not humans. They consistently remembered the original happenings, not the actual breaches themselves. You _SHOULD _have remembered what really happened the night your memories were first breached." He rolled his hand in the air: "But that sort of mind erasure is always tricky."

Ami, again, said, "Why didn't you TELL her? She's gone for WEEKS remembering being attacked and tortured by you! She thought she'd betrayed Darien!"

Lita agreed, "A phone call wouldn't have hurt." Beat. "We could exchange numbers later, if you'd like."

Rubeus bristled, "He just told you we didn't know she remembered anything!"

Saphir broke in, "I suggest you not trust anything you think you remember from that evening." Beat. "You didn't exactly welcome any of us; and you most certainly didn't purposefully kiss any of us. I'm not sure what you might think you remember — this type of amateur mind breach was very new to us; we only had one example to work with."

Serena stared blandly at Saphir. "Oh."

When Serena continued just sitting there, staring, Demand knelt before her and gently reiterated: "I didn't force myself on you, Serena. As you yourself said, you came to ME. Only you thought I was _him_," and he pointed up to Darien. "Had we not distracted you somehow, you wouldn't have calmed down long enough for us to help you." Beat. "It didn't take long after that. And we really didn't think you'd recall any of it"

Darien had knelt behind her, as well. Whispered an apology. But Serena asked Saphir, "What memories can I trust? —I mean, how do I know the next time...?"

"You don't," Saphir said sternly. "In our previous lives, before you brought us back," he cleared his throat, "every single one of us from NEMESIS was MIND CONTROLLED by an entity we came to know as CHAOS."

"Wiseman," Darien said, remembering Serena's story.

Saphir smiled wryly at the man he knew as King Endymion, a real devil who was already demonstrating his notorious anger issues. "Wiseman. He had us all under mind control; we saw what he wanted us to see." And to Serena, he said, "We never exercised that kind of compulsion on you. We were trying to find ..common ground. At best, we'd hoped to plant a sympathy for our plight into your subconscious, since there was no way we could successfully battle you."

Rubeus said, "We found you have a healthy fear of mind tampering — don't blame you a bit! We also found you already had sympathy for our plight, buried deep within your subconscious."

Demand agreed heartily: "We gave you the CHOICE to simply exit the dream then, or to let us seal off the breach, so you couldn't be so easily attacked in the future."

Rubeus said, "I imagine that option of a choice is what caused you to remember any of it." To Saphir, "See, we shouldn't have offered her the choice! I was RIGHT!" Beat. "AGAIN!"

Rei said, "So it's still all my fault. For tampering with her memories." She looked down. "Damn."

Saphir waved her away: "Pretty much. But I like to recall that we wouldn't be here AT ALL if your Neo-Queen Serenity hadn't damned generations of innocents to a desolate moon." Shrug. "Why split hairs."

Demand had stood, along with the rest of them, and said, "We should have checked in on you after we healed the breach. *_I_* should have. But we hope we can still help each other."

Luna said, "Back to this time travel business, then ...is there ANY other way?" Her eyes grew wide. "—What's wrong?"

Demand said, to Serena, "_Talking cat?_"

Serena smiled: "Alien. Long story."

Saphir, awkwardly addressing the black cat, said, "As we weren't expecting the Child Queen to desire time-travel, as the Neo-Queen we know is steadfastly against it, we'll need to discuss the feasibility of such a prospect. Hunt down the proper materials.. it could take weeks, if it's possible at all. The last thing we want to do is hurtle her through time and have the wrath of the Neo-Queen on us again!" Nodding gravely, he said, "We'll contact Hino through her fires."

Demand quickly snatched Serena's hand, kissed it, then vanished.

.

.

"And they're off," Rei said.

Serena was silently inconsolable. As Luna and the girls chattered about the possible dangers of time traveling with the unstable crystal, Darien watched Serena, and she watched the sky. Rei tried to involve Serena in the conversation, especially since it was Serena who would be taking the most risk, but Serena's mind was scrambled. Ami suggested Serena go home and try to forget about things until tomorrow, which Serena solemnly agreed to.

Darien followed beside her robotically, mind still swarming with the news that Serena's memories were so completely wrong. He finally said, "I should have known better."

Serena shrugged. "It's okay."

"No it's not," he countered, sadly.

They walked quietly for a while. Serena noticed when he dropped back; turned to find him sitting on a bench. She took a deep breath; went back and sat with him.

She asked, "You okay?"

Darien shook his head. "No." Darien looked at his hands, twisting them around and around. "I did this," he said gruffly.

"You didn't mean to," Serena said.

Darien was surprised that Serena didn't argue how it wasn't his fault. But she'd had plenty of time to think about it now, as well. Darien had opened that door to her mind that let the Black Moon family in, that required sealing by Saphir, which required the invaders to 'calm her'...

He leaned back, stared at the moon rising in the early evening sky. Wondered if he could hold her again, like he had at the meeting, without being smacked down.

Serena leaned over, kissed him on the cheek. "I have to go. Promised my parents I'd be home before dark. And ..it's almost dark." She stood up.

Darien had frozen with her touch. A touch he'd dreamed about since the very day he'd left her. But every time he imagined Serena touching him, he also imagined Demand touching her. He would shut out the dreams, get up, walk around to clear his head. He couldn't shake Demand from his head.

Now he jumped up and followed Serena.

Grabbed her hand, to her amusement. She smiled. "I told you I _have_ to go home—"

"Come to my place," he choked out, pleading. "I have so much to tell you."

She squeezed his hand, leaned against him a little. "I have so much to tell you! But Darien, my parents have been really great. They accepted the baby—"

"You told them?" he asked, hurt.

She shrugged. "I owed them that much. I told them you broke up with me because I kissed another boy." Somewhat despondent, she added, "They weren't surprised. They were disappointed in me, but they want to help me finish high school. Well, GET IN to high school, first," she smiled.

"Stop," Darien begged, pulling her aside, holding both her hands to his chest. "Please, stop." He pressed his mouth passionately against hers and opened into an explosive kiss. When she pulled away from him, he let her hands go, blinking away tears. He sunk down to the ground, hands gripping his head like he had a migraine.

Serena knelt down. "Darien?" She reached out and grabbed his forearms.

He shrugged her away: "I just need a moment, Serena." He dabbed at his eyes angrily; pulled himself together. "I've gone for weeks thinking you harbored some secret love for that guy. You had all these memories of him, and then you kissed him." His voice caught. "...well, you thought you kissed him."

Serena hugged him, as best as she could with him balled up all elbows and knees. "Darien, it's okay. C'mon, it's MY brain that's been Grand Central Station around here." When he didn't respond, she gave up trying to hold him like that, and turned around to sit beside him. She said, "My memories are still what I remember, Darien. I still feel like I betrayed you. And I'm not sure I believe Saphir and Demand even now. —although it surely makes a lot more sense than what I remember."

Darien looked out at the park, nervous, feeling like he was losing his mind. "Serena, I don't care if it happened or not."

She looked at him wryly. "Oh come on, Darien."

He shook his head, refusing to look at her. "I don't. All I cared about was if you WANTED him. And you couldn't tell me you didn't, but that's because —it's because they messed with your mind, not because you weren't sure." Beat. "Right?"

Serena said, "Darien, I've spent weeks thinking I made out with Demand in some sicko wet dream that their whole family knew about, maybe even witnessed." She shrugged. "I've thought and thought about it... When did I decide to kiss him. Why did I ..do _anything _I did in that dream? Why didn't I stop myself? Was it possible that I did love him, like he said, and I just didn't remember that part of my future yet?" She breathed in deeply, trying not to cry. Determined not to feel sorry for herself. "I couldn't explain it! I'm afraid I've decided that I'm.. —I'm just this complete FLAKE who doesn't deserve someone like you."

She bit her lip uncomfortably. Refusing to cry. When she glanced over at Darien, he was staring at her.

She shifted uncomfortably. "I didn't fight for you this time because I'd hurt you. I don't want to ever do that again." She bit back tears now. Reached over and touched his cheek gently. "You deserve so much better than that."

Darien was too choked up to speak initially, but he grabbed her hand and finally said, "We've had more than a few obstacles thrown at us, Serena. My so-called premonitions from the future; the Black Moon family. You've had your memories 'breached', changed, attacked, fixed—"

Serena interrupted, miserably, "Those are all great excuses. But that's all they are. You know it as well as I do, Dare. They're just excuses."

"Attacks," Darien insisted, turning toward her, although careful not to grab her, scare her away. "Attacks that would drive most of us crazy."

"But I'm going to be attacked, Darien. I am Sailor Moon ...I think." Beat. "A walking TARGET. So ...so I can't go to my parents and say, '_I got pregnant because some weirdo from the future thought it was a great way to protect the planet_!' I mean, it could be the truth, but I'm the one who's responsible for getting pregnant."

Darien startled, "That was completely my doing!"

"No, it was completely MY doing. I didn't give up on you after you broke up with me. You felt sorry for me, saw me crying.." Serena rolled her hand in the air like a magician waving his wand: "now I'm pregnant. You DIDN'T rape me, Darien. Rei changed my memories later, but whatever happened that night, I was fully responsible for it. I know that now."

"You've got it all wrong," Darien said lightly. "I didn't feel sorry for you that night, Sere. I ACHED for you. I was torn between that damned dream and my insurmountable desire for you. Believe me, you were completely taken by surprise. You didn't turn me away, thank God! ..but you weren't prepared to make love to me, either."

When tears rolled down her face, Darien reached over and wiped them freely, no longer scared she might run. "I love you, Serena Tsukino. But that child you're carrying is completely mine, and completely my responsibility. That 'breach' in your brain, also my responsibility. Our separations, both the first time and this—"

"No!" Serena half-laughed, half-sobbed. "That dream, Darien —I had wracked my mind, *_why_* did I run away with Demand in the first place? I knew it was a dream!" She grabbed his hand that was on her face, held it with both hands, begging. "I could FEEL you holding me, in my bed, Darien. And yet I was —I don't know what I was doing! Running through cold caves, being attacked by monsters, having dreams within dreams. And when given a choice—?"

"You thought it was a matter of life and death," Darien offered with plenty of emotion. And at her surprised look, he said, "I haven't thought about much else. And now it seems that those memories are about as trustworthy as what Rei left you with. We really don't know what happened."

Serena shook her head. "I know what happened, Darien. I HURT you." She bit back a sob, turned away. "I hate that I hurt you!"

Darien rubbed her back, scooted up behind her closely. "Serena, I didn't handle it well."

She blustered, "How were you supposed to handle it? I betrayed you! I'm a loose cannon—!"

He grabbed her shoulders, kissed the back of her head: "Serena, we know now that what you remembered wasn't what happened. You've got to work with me; let this go!"

She turned on him almost viciously. "I'm scared of what I'm turning into, Darien!" And at his shocked stare, she elaborated, "I damned an entire clan of people to a desolate moon, threw away the key, and basically gave rise to evil. What *_happened_* to standing for love and justice?"

Darien winced, completely surprised she thought of herself that way. A tad concerned that a lot more damage had happened under that pretty head of her. "C'mon Serena, you can't think like that." He moved his hands one over the other, demonstrating, "The timelines have lapped several times, from the best we can figure. And you have to give the future Serena credit for stopping the time travel!"

She responded vehemently, "No. I don't trust whatever I've become in the future." She leaned back, furious, looking up at the stars again, this time wanting to scream out to them how they could let this come to pass. "How could I _FORGET _an entire people? Why wouldn't I search out the times to see the consequences of dispersing Chaos? Was that even the right thing to do? —even Chibi Chibi wanted me to destroy Chaos and the cauldron. _I wouldn't_! —Maybe I was wrong! She knew more than I did! She'd forged herself to help me do it, and I willy-nilly decided not to do it!" Anxiety boiled over now, she crushed her head into her own hands miserably, and added, "Unfortunately that's where my memories end, so I don't know how I got from 'me' to that _MONSTER _that could damn entire planets."

Darien had been staring at her. Finally said off-handedly, "You're going to be good at this."

She stared daggers at him, wryly. "I just told you that I don't like what the future me *_did_* — how can I be good at it if I already know I don't like it?"

Darien leaned over her slightly. Wanted to kiss her; smiled instead. "Serena, I should have been there for you these last few weeks. But I couldn't get past your wanting another man. I suppose if I loved you well enough, I'd have loved you regardless of who you wanted."

Serena wrinkled her nose at him, knowing he was changing the subject, but certainly caught off guard by this pronouncement. "I hope you're not expecting the same favor from me." She fell back on her elbows again and looked at him anew. "Like, _ever_."

He tried again, still seriously. "I should have believed you when you said you loved only me."

"That would have been nice," she said quietly, responding to his physical presence over her body. "But I understand why you didn't." She needed to sit up; couldn't, as he had leaned over her supine form slightly and was staring at her. She glanced again at the stars and continued, "You were right," she choked out. "I'm 14, and," looking up into his forever beautiful eyes, she took a deep, cleansing breath and said, "—oh Darien, you deserve so much better than I can give you."

Darien put a finger over her lips. "Do you know," he said, "that we've only been together three times, Ms. Tsukino?"

"Twice," she breathed onto his finger. "—that I remember."

"Three times," he adamantly corrected, pulling his finger back from her lips and holding three fingers in the air, making his point. "And yet being with you is all I can think about," Darien said huskily. "I can't sleep at night; my grades have dropped, which has never happened before. I daydream about raising our child when I'm in class." His heart raced; he added with desire, "About getting you pregnant again the minute this one's born..."

Serena watched him closely, thinking how much she would love to be with him again. "I can't imagine you daydreaming," she responded lightly. "I guess I'm rubbing off on you in all the wrong ways."

He smiled warmly at her, brushed his hand across her cheek. "There's no wrong way you could rub me, Serena." He stared at her intensely, and added, "Not anymore. I'll take whatever I can get."

She got up on her knees and hugged him, pulling his head tightly to her chest. Whispered, "If you want me still, Darien Chiba, I'm yours."

Darien pulled her down to eye-level, opening his mouth over her neck and chin until he found her lips. Her mouth opened to him passionately, and he groaned deeply as he felt her tongue hungrily sweeping though his mouth. He breathed through her mouth, kissing her ragged until she collapsed into his waiting arms. "It was me you wanted in your dream," he huskily groaned into her mouth.

She looked up at the beautiful stars, made more stunning by the circumstances, letting Darien kiss her chin, her neck... "It's always been you," she said desperately as Darien pushed them to the ground.

He stopped kissing her, pinned her forehead to the ground with is own forehead as he crawled over her body. "It physically HURT being away from you. So many times I almost came to you... So many nights I prayed you would come to me."

Serena was breathing hard. Looked up at him seriously. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you again." She shut her eyes, refusing the tears. "And you _didn't_ come to me."

He grabbed her face. "Don't cry," he smiled, tears filling his own eyes. "I keep hurting you. And I don't mean to—"

"I shouldn't have told you about the dream. All this could have been avoided.. —I just felt so guilty!"

He kissed her quiet as she started weeping, letting all the events of the last few weeks slip away to another reality. When she'd stopped crying and started kissing him with insane passion, he touched her all over, as if desperately trying to make up for lost time. He held her head in the crook of one arm, thoroughly exploring her mouth and face, while his other hand possessively groped her. Within moments he mumbled, "I want you now, Sere. "

Serena drawled, "I'll never say 'no' to you, Dare—", but she was unable to continue with his tongue embedded in her mouth. She felt him pick her up; when he broke the kiss, she held him and buried her head in his chest, trusting nothing but the man holding her now.

.

.

He'd finished picking the leaves and sticks out of her hair, lazily gotten her dressed, finished getting himself dressed, and slowly walked Serena home hand-in-hand. For such an insane public coupling, he was strangely content and satisfied; couldn't wipe the awe off of his face. He kept glancing over at her, unable to peel his eyes away from her post-coitus blushes and speechlessness.

As they neared her house, he picked her up and kissed her again. She laughed delightfully into his mouth, "I'm going to LOOK like I had sex, Darien!"

"You were well laid," he teased. "I never understood the compulsion to make love in public until I met you. We've GOT to get married."

"What?" she laughed. "So you won't screw me in the park?"

"Yeah," he said huskily. "But also so when it's time to go home, we don't have to say goodnight. Ever. I can't wait until we can share our bed every night."

"And day," she teased, longing for him to never let her go. "We could stay in bed all day, too—"

"We will," he teased back. "We'll meet at home for lunch breaks. Never eat a bite of food."

She let her head fall backwards as he spun her around again. Then she looked at him. Kissed him. "If we were home now, we could be in bed now. Naked, together, cuddling-"

He set her down, chuckling darkly. "If you want to make it into your house, sweetheart, you'd better stop talking like THAT."

They made it to her sidewalk, then kissed gently, longingly, outside on her porch, before her brother opened the door and announced his sister's boyfriend was there.

Mr. Tsukino was standing outside almost at once. He sized a frozen Darien up, then his daughter. "You're late, Serena."

Serena bowed her head, "I'm sorry."

"Well, Rei called and said you were spending the night," her dad said. When Serena opened her mouth to explain why she'd left Rei's, her dad continued, "Then Ami called and said you were at her house."

"Oh! Well, I was at her house earlier, but—"

"Then Mina called and said you couldn't come to the phone because you were in the shower, and she was going to help you with your homework. Although I don't see how that could be, since Lita just got off the phone and said you were at her house."

"I'm sorry," Serena said.

Papa waved his hand. "Don't bother. I suppose that's how you got —like you are." He looked at Darien. "Who's your friend here, Serena?"

Darien took over for the bumbling Serena, stuck out his hand, "I'm Darien Chiba, Sir."

Papa nodded; shook his hand. Looked at Serena: "You, get upstairs and do your homework." And when Serena looked at Darien, Papa said, "Go on. Mr. Chiba and I'll have a little talk."

.

.

.

**TEA**

"Tea?"

Darien sat in their living room, not very comfortable, while Ikuko, as she'd been introduced, ran Shingo upstairs. He caught Luna running into Serena's room and smiled.

Papa brought the teacup to Darien, then sat across from him. "Serena drinks milkshakes."

Darien blushed, smiled awkwardly. "Yes, Sir. I'm aware of that—"

"I mean, Serena drinks MILKSHAKES. And SODAS. She doesn't drink tea much, or saki."

"Of course," Darien said, feeling heat creep up his collar. "That's to be expected, I suppose."

"It's what all the girls in Junior High drink." Beat. Point made. "And we're pushing her to get into High School this year. We'd really like for her to finish her school, even under _these _circumstances."

Darien said, "Of course!"

"She told us you were in med school?" Papa moved on.

"Second year," Darien agreed. "I was going to attend Harvard Med next year, but —I'll finish here."

"Then you'll do your internship. Not a lot of free time." Papa shifted in his chair. "You realize that, if everything goes well with Serena's education, you'll be a doctor when she's in ELEVENTH GRADE."

Darien blanched. "We're fine with that, Sir." They actually hadn't talked about it at all, although Darien had certainly considered it more than once.

"'_We_'," Papa repeated. "_We, we, we_,... You know, there's really no '_we_' here, yet."

Darien interrupted. "Sir, I intend to marry Serena. I —I've got a ring, at home."

Mr. Tsukino was quiet. Considering. Finally said, "You want her to leave her family home while she's in Junior High School, Mr. Chiba?"

"Darien," Darien corrected. "—and I'd like her to be with me, yes. It's how it should be, Sir."

Kenji Tsukino looked down. Shook his head. Darien realized the man was upset. Set his tea down.

"Mr. Tsukino, I'm —very much in love with your daughter. I want her to be my wife. I want to wake up every morning and see her, and make her breakfast, and kiss her goodbye when I leave. And have her at home when I get home. Every day, for the rest of my life."

"She's just not ready for all that, Mr. —Darien. We have to yell at her to make her bed in the mornings! She likes going to the arcade and playing some weird ninja games with her girlfriends! She doesn't even like to babysit Shingo, much less any of the neighborhood kids, because she likes to be with her friends! Don't you see this? You of all people should see this! She told us how she got a crush on another boy and that's why you weren't talking to her!"

"Mr. Tsukino!" Darien raised his voice, needing to get the man's attention. "There's a lot more to your daughter than those things you just listed! She may fight with her brother, which is natural, but she's exceedingly helpful to all the children at the arcade and in the park. She nearly adopted a child whose parents were hospitalized; she and I took care of that child together—"

Papa interrupted, "That where you two got the idea to start a family?"

Darien swallowed hard. "Of course not! Her friends helped us, too." Heat flew up his collar as he stammered, "Helped to babysit the child, not to get her pregnant." He closed his eyes in great embarrassment. Calmed himself internally. Continued, "The rest, she'll grow into naturally. I know she'll be an excellent mother. Wife. Partner." Darien sat back, more comfortable now: "I want her. Sir."

Ikuko walked in, hands on hips. "Nice spiel, Mr. Chiba. Almost makes me wonder if you set out to get her pregnant."

Darien's eyes closed. Tightly. "No," he said. "Of course not. We hadn't been sexually active," he dared say, since Shingo was in bed and he was as much an adult as these people. "We didn't plan on being sexually active for —it wasn't planned! And I certainly don't consider this timing to be perfect!" Tears welled up in his eyes, certainly against his will. Choked up, he said, "I feel like I've ripped away her childhood!"

"We're agreed," Ikuko said coldly.

Papa said, "What's done is done." He stood. Obviously a bit overcome with emotion. When Darien stood as well, Papa stuck a hand out. Shook Darien's hand. "I'm just not ready to lose my daughter. Like you, *_I_* like waking up and seeing her. *_I_* like seeing her come home after school, and hearing about her day. She's our family. We need her here. Just a little bit longer."

Darien didn't know quite what to say. The man sounded pathetic; the way Darien had felt these last few weeks without Serena in his life. "I can't speak for Serena, Mr. Tsukino. I haven't officially asked her to marry me; I really have no right to speak for her. But I don't want my wife and child living outside of my home. I'm sure you can understand that." Darien found himself nearly blinking away tears again. Whispered, "I love her. All I can promise is to give her the best life I possibly can. I'll keep her in school; I'll—"

Ikuko interrupted: "What about using some birth control after this baby's born? You know, give her half-a-chance to get used to being a Mama while being in school." Beat. "Give me half-a-chance to get used to being a babysitter. Mr. Tsukino doesn't seem to realize that, married or not, Serena and her child will be here probably more often than she is now, once the little tyke is born."

Darien smiled at her, secretly remembering how he'd told Serena he would keep her pregnant after this child was born. "That sounds agreeable," he said, noncommittally. He looked upstairs. "I'd like to say goodnight to her."

"She's doing her homework," Ikuko said coldly.

Papa thumbed him up the stairs, though, and Darien took off: "I won't be a second."

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.

He tapped lightly on the door, opened it. Serena was laying on her bed, face buried in a textbook. Her face lit up and she rolled up on the bed.

Darien smiled, stared at her darkly: "We've got to get rid of these," as he grabbed her flannel pjs and tugged at them, like he was going to rip them off. He kicked the door closed behind him, went and bent over her, and possessively sucked in her lips.

He pushed her over on her bed, crushed down onto her as he raped her mouth his his tongue. They kissed like that for several seconds before Serena started beating his shoulders. "Darien we can't do this here!" she gasped lightly.

Darien propped himself up on his elbows, keeping her pinned firmly under him. "What happened to never saying 'no' to me?" he teased.

Serena blushed furiously, but he kissed her lightly. He turned more serious. "They're going to ask if you want to live with them, or me. You're going to say me."

Serena eyes widened. "I —I ...Darien they won't _let _me!"

"They will if you tell them that's what you want." Beat. "Is that what you want, Serena?"

"But, —Mama's going to help..."

He clasped his hand over her mouth: "She'll still help. They'll come over and help. —We might even get a new place. Closer to this neighborhood. It'll work out. I want you in my bed every night. That won't happen if you aren't insistent that you're ready to marry me now. You're ready. Tell them you're ready."

Luna said, "Even if she's not?"

Darien jumped about two feet off the bed, clearly unaware that Luna was in the room. He glared at Serena, who was stifling a giggle.

Serena said, "I'll tell them, okay?"

Darien nodded, still spooked by the cat. "Guess she's coming too."

Luna said, "Most certainly, Mr. Chiba! I go where Serena goes. And I take the right side of the bed, I don't care who's on it."

Darien said his goodnights with a bit less enthusiasm, and as he left, he mumbled that the cat would make its bed on the sofa.


	6. Chapter 6

**Negaverse Rising**

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**Chapter 6  
The One They Forgot**

_OUTING_

Darien walked Serena through the park leisurely, occasionally planting a tender kiss on her forehead, or picking a flower to arrange in her hair. The last day of school had come and gone, and they were now weeks into summer. Serena had turned 15, and at nearly 15 weeks pregnant, her belly was somewhat bloated, though hideable. What made her look 'pregnant' was how enormous her breasts had grown. On her very slight frame, the fact she was pregnant was nearly beyond hiding.

Darien found the simple sundresses that Mina had helped her pick out to help camouflage her condition simply stunning on her, although he secretly acknowledged that her blossoming attractiveness was less due to the dresses and more due to her condition, which tended to drive him insane with lust for her. Their arrangement with her parents, where Serena could alternate nights between their home and his, wasn't nearly so bad since he shared her bed on her nights with her family. A fact he was sure they were aware of, but which everyone kept quiet for modesty's sake.

"Are we going to do more of that meditation stuff today, Darien?" Serena asked innocently, although Darien knew full well that Serena couldn't stand to sit still for 'that stuff' too long, no matter how hard she tried to act the part. His purpose, however, was exactly that - to get her to be able to act the part.

"Not if you don't want to," he said mildly, smiling inwardly as his little Senshi soldier grinned despite her best efforts. He added, "I thought we'd try something different today."

Serena's face became unreadable. "Where are we going?" They had exited the park and were walking into the wooded area that outskirted the city. He trekked through a clearing and held both her hands, spinning her around. She got a warm glow on her face. "Really? You brought me here for THAT?"

Darien's face grew serious, to Serena's obvious consternation. He said, "We're going to work on your transformation, Serena."

"No!" she spouted. "Luna said we shouldn't do that—!"

Darien said, "Luna isn't here; Luna isn't responsible for you anymore; —and Luna's a damned cat, Serena." He pulled her over to a rock formation, looked over it, motioned for her to do the same.

She did. "ICK! Darien that's a swamp of some kind .. I don't want to go down there! Probably icky bugs and slime and this dress is new..! This is a _terrible _date, I want to go to the arcade—!"

He pressed a finger against her lips, shushing her. "Look, we're close to having to face the Black Moon family again, on _their _terms, _their _stomping ground. Maybe travel to the future; face who _KNOWS _what there! And Luna hasn't let you get a feel for your new transformation at all—!"

"Darien," Serena whispered, "she said it could be dangerous! And it hurts!"

Darien pulled her close, hugged her. "I want us to be prepared for anything, Sere. It's part of who you are; we need to get comfortable with your new skin."

After a bit more argument, Serena caved, but not without griping about their romantic outing turning into a training session. She brushed her fingers tentatively against her brooch...

Her hair flashed brilliant white; the plumes of her ever-growing wings settled against her naked body; and finally, the large, white sword appeared in her hand. But this time, the sword appeared without the searing pain. Darien said, calmly, "Good, that's what I was hoping. It's your body; your sword; it shouldn't be THAT much of a burden."

"What, have you been PLANNING for this?" Serena countered, flailing her arms and being clumsily flung to the ground when the heavy sword fell like dead weight.

Darien was over her protectively: "Concentrate, Serena! See? The sword wasn't heavy to you until you lost focus on it!" He backed up. "Now stand."

Serena jerked herself up, sword firmly embedded in the ground. Her wings started flapping aimlessly as she focused on pulling the sword along with her—

"Stop, stop!" Darien called, getting frustrated. Thinking. Serena floated back to the ground, wings flapping once more to help her land softly. Darien scrunched his face: "Okay, you didn't have to think about moving your wings— how did _that _work? What were you doing that you could control _that_?"

Serena shrugged. She looked at the sword that was fused to her hand. She imagined it having wings and flying... then tried to jerk it up. And almost dislocated her arm. "_Ow!_"

"Not that," Darien suggested. He approached the sword and her hand. He gingerly touched a finger on her left hand. "Serena, look—" And when she knelt beside him and her sword, she saw him easily pulling her finger off the sword handle.

Excitedly, Serena LET GO of the sword. And it worked! "Ahh!" She lifted both hands to her face in absolute glee, and almost took her own head off when the sword remained floating firmly in her left hand and flew up to her face with her hands. "_Ah!_"

"Careful careful," Darien cooed, secretly petrified that she'd kill them both if she didn't focus a little more seriously now. But letting his fear transfer to her wouldn't help their purposes. "You're doing fine. It.. —the sword seems to be part of you, Sere. Now, stand up..." and he backed up from her again. "CAREFULLY. Just stand, remembering that the sword is like ..an extension of your arm." He smiled, holding his breath.

Serena nodded dumbly, then carefully let her arms down, and the sword jerked her clumsily to the ground again. She immediately held up her right hand, calming Darien. "I've got this," she said, a bit steamed. "I'm going to stand now," she said, as much to the sword as to Darien. "I'm LETTING IT GO..." and she LET GO. And stood, this time careful not to use the sword to prop her up. It was a difficult procedure; it was so natural to use anything in your hands as a crutch to stand from kneeling. But she did it; she stood up, and the sword floated in her palm without actually touching her.

She grasped it firmly; then let it go, testing the sensation. She smiled widely at him. "See!" She stuck her tongue out at her drill sergeant.

"Good," Darien said, breathing a bit easier now. "Now, try to wield it."

"Wield," Serena repeated. She had no idea what Darien wanted. Serena stared hard at the sword, and gently lifted her arm. The sword fused into her hand and swung around wildly in her grip, as if drawing a figure 8 in the air; then flew back, forcing her elbow backwards and eliciting a shriek from her: "_Owww!_"

Darien held his hands up: "Okay, look — it's in an attack position! Whatever you did, it's ready to plunge into something. You're doing great!"

"I can't LET IT GO," Serena growled through gritted teeth. She kept trying to use the mind trick she thought she'd just learned, to LET GO, but it merely made the sword do slicing motions through the air. "I can't even control _my ARM_!" she shrieked.

"Calm down!" he tried, starting to doubt if this outing was a good idea. He didn't really know how to instruct her in something he couldn't decipher, either. "Just, okay, ..why don't you try to kneel down, like you're defending against an attack. Like your first encounter with Rubeus."

Serena nodded. "Fine." And she knelt down. Her arm bolted forward straight and twisted the sword backwards and parallel to the ground. Serena deadpanned, "Darien, it's going to slice off my head. It was nice knowing you."

Darien walked towards her: "It's protecting you, Serena. Your right hand's free; your left arm can't go back further—"

"But if someone knocked the thing out of my hand my HEAD would be gone," she grinned angrily.

"That sword's not going anywhere. I'd guess that if I were to attack you now, with anything, that sword would protect you." Then kill him instantly, he thought grimly. "Try to relax now."

"Duh! I've _BEEN _trying! This isn't exactly comfortable, you know. It's holding me in position—"

"Which is how it helped saved all our lives against Rubeus and Emerald," Darien reminded gently. "Stand again."

Serena tried to stand, but the weight of the sword was too much. "Darien! I'm stuck!" And then she threw the pregnancy card: "I think I'm getting a cramp!"

So Darien turned away and walked from her. Serena, aghast, jumped up and followed him angrily: "What kind of husband will you make, leaving me stranded when I'm in trouble?" Beat. She realized she'd jumped up easily and followed him, and her sword was gliding weightlessly in her hand. "Oh."

Darien smirked at her. "We should go through this again, but 'what kind of husband' would I be to push you too much today?"

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Darien had pulled out another sundress when she'd detransformed, although this time she'd kept her original sundress. "Ah, you come prepared," Serena said sarcastically.

"We made progress today, Sere," Darien said lightly, checking out her body carefully after her detransform. He took her bejeweled left hand and kissed it, pointing out, "It's not even that red and sore anymore. _Progress_."

As they walked back to the park, she said, "You're nervous about meeting Demand again, aren't you?"

Darien bit his tongue. Momentarily. "We haven't seen them in a while. I know they've supposedly run into problems procuring the materials they need to get us to the future." They had contacted Rei again through her fires, with a message that they thought they'd figured out how to get Serena safely to Nemesis, but they were having to mine and manufacture their own materials.

Serena said, "To be fair, they said they didn't realize how '_primitive_' this society was."

Darien shrugged, "I have a feeling they'll be ready soon. ...I just wish we could be preparing more—"

Serena hugged herself warm and asked, "Do you still think Demand might hurt me?"

Darien responded firmly, "I worry about everything. —But I was going to say, I sort of wish it were all over already, so we could move on and focus on our life." He grew quiet, pensive. "I have no idea what it would be like to just worry about getting our home ready for the baby, getting married, ...getting you through 9th grade. Going to lamaze classes."

Serena's heart filled with love. She blinked away tears, thinking how she'd just thought he was worrying about how he'd get rid of the Black Moon family and start on his world domination tour. "Wow," she said out loud.

He smiled meekly at her. "What?"

She smiled back. "I really can't wait to get to know you better." Beat. "Do you think.. I mean, maybe with CHAOS dispersed and everything equal, do you think we even need to, you know, run worlds and stuff like that in the future?"

He chuckled. "I can't even imagine _WANTING _to do that, Serena. I know it's what's supposed to happen—"

"And it's what you did, in a former life," she reminded him. "At least you have experience. Me? I feel like a tag-along at best. I don't like judging people. I don't like .._punishing_. Oh I know I SAY that all the time..."

"Those were on occasions against clearly evil forces, Sere," Darien offered. "We couldn't let BERYL and EMERALD have their ways with the world."

Serena's lips compressed. "Demand said I had healed them." Sighed. "Then we killed them." Frown. "Over a few lifetimes, I know, but ...what good did it do?"

"We were defending ourselves," Darien reminded her. "And if BERYL was healed, she sure didn't act the part. She was trying to dig into my mind every chance she got. The way I see it, she can come to the healing pool once. If she makes herself sick again.. —she got what was coming to her."

"And yet," Serena sighed, "if my other, 'future' self had remembered her, and freed her from the Negaverse, things may have been different."

Darien didn't like the melancholy that was encroaching. He smiled widely, then said, "Serena, we're going to master your transformation. We're going to do what we can to help your Black Moon family and the people of NEMESIS. And we're going to be married, and have our baby." He pulled her to his face, stared at her, lightly kissed her. "And have more babies."

Serena stared longingly at him as his kisses started becoming more erotic, more frequent. She was mesmerized by how quickly the serious Darien could change gears and want to have sex with her. Without protesting, she fell into his powerful arms when he started exploring her mouth in what she had learned was foreplay before their inevitable coupling. He didn't kiss her like this without quickly wanting to get her to a bedroom. Serena felt her hormones kick into overdrive when he reached up under her sundress and started fondling her baby bump.

She was certain at times, the way he held her, that he was easily as excited about their baby as he was about her. Darien had told her he made no such distinction; she was who he wanted, and his desire meant she was pregnant. His hands moved out over her dress, and roamed up to her breasts, which he fondled lovingly. She knew they'd grown a lot; she thought of them as unwelcome basketballs that made her clothes ill-fitting and unflattering. But Darien felt like he 'made' them; he said he helped form her body the way it is now, and loved the changes she was experiencing.

She swooned in his kisses, remembering the night they got back together, actually the last time they'd seen the Black Moon family. Darien had been so amorous that evening that they made love right here in the park. Darien had later apologized profusely for losing control like that, but she knew she'd always recall that night as the most magical time she'd ever been with him. For her, it was because she was the one being forgiven, which she didn't expect or require, but definitely wanted. Their horrible, weeks-long separation that time had been all her fault, and had caused him pain. Worse pain for her than when Darien had broken up with her for no apparent reason. So when they'd finally come together that evening, it was completely mutual; two flawed, imperfect people choosing each other, and made perfectly one.

She could feel him building now like he'd done that night; then felt oppressive disappointment when his hands moved out of her dress, even though he was still fondling her quite roughly through the dress material. She playfully pulled back a bit, daring him, she hoped, to force his hand. Darien gave her a naughty smile and stepped into her embrace again, plowing her mouth with passion. He said huskily, "You don't want me to go there, Sere. —But I will."

When he stopped kissing her suddenly, she fell into his waiting arms, heart racing. She heard him speaking to someone; and felt dirty and ashamed. He pet her back like a fucking cat, trying to calm her, and he was introducing her to someone, explaining that she was tired, and maybe a little shy today.

Serena backed out of his arms, heart pounding from his teasing eroticism; and turned to speak to the intruder.

"This is one of the T.A.s for the summer session," Darien explained.

Serena's blood ran cold in recognition as the man smiled at her. She backed up slightly into Darien; stared in horror at the outstretched hand.

"Serena," Darien warned quietly, squeezing her shoulders, "you're being impolite."

Heart pounding, she took his hand. Malachite said, "Nice to meet you, Ms. Tsukino."

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Serena stared in horror, tried to smile, far more weakly than she intended. She not only remembered him in that very moment, but felt sure Malachite _knew_ that she remembered him. She tried to catch her breath; instantly was furious at herself for not asking that damned Rubeus whom else they'd dug up out of the Negaverse.

Darien and Malachite talked about a paper that was due this week, and Serena stood by, avoiding Malachite's eyes as deftly as she could in her current state of shock. She remembered Malachite working for Beryl, along with three other faceless minions... She blanched on remembering Metallia. Turned, wondering furiously if Metallia might have 'come back'. Hadn't Metallia been part of CHAOS? And therefore DISPERSED?

Darien, confused at Serena's cold behavior, turned and asked her if she was feeling okay. She knew she had to pull this off, or Malachite would be tipped off. Might even attack now. She had no idea what Malachite was going to do. "I'm fine!" she insisted, activating her Scout Communicator's emergency beacon and turning back to face the pair. Then she put on her flightiest air ever: "I just hate listening to all this school talk when —hello! Summer! Not to mention we're supposed to be on a _date_." She pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.

Darien's eyes almost popped out of his head: "Serena!" he admonished, "What's WRONG with —?" He immediately turned to his TA and, quite flustered, apologized for Serena's behavior. "She's not usually _THIS RUDE_," he admonished her while speaking to his TA. "I suppose I should get her home for some _REST_," and he emphasized the last word loudly, insistent that Serena hear it.

Malachite turned to Serena, and Serena met his stare. Malachite, quite taken with Darien's paramour, bowed politely and said, "Please pardon me, but you look quite familiar. I'm sure I know you from somewhere!"

"I'm sure you DON'T!" Serena stammered, smiling a little too hard now. Forcing a giggle, she said, "Not unless you taught at Juuban Junior High, which I'm sure you didn't—!"

Darien interrupted, now knowing something was wrong. Somewhat suspicious of his TA, he asked, "How on earth would she know you? You just got to Tokyo this month." Neither man was smiling any longer.

Malachite smoothly said, "You know we have young girls everywhere at the dorms—!"

"Serena's hardly one of those girls," Darien interrupted, offended. And getting more offended by the minute as this lout stared at his girl.

"Maybe you've seen me at the arcade," Serena interrupted, helpfully, seriously not wanting to blow this before her Senshi got there. Just a few more seconds, she could feel. Somewhat surprised, she realized she really _could_ feel Rei and Lita nearing their position, almost like a puzzle coming together.

"I suppose that's possible," Malachite said, bowing again at Serena and Darien. "Very well then. I've got papers to grade, so I'm afraid I must take my leave as well. But it was certainly .._enlightening_, meeting you," he said to Serena, piercing her with a cold glare.

Darien, still flustered, forced himself to bow slightly, just as Sailor Jupiter dropped out of the sky beside them:

SAILOR JUPITER! WE WILL PUNISH YOU!

Followed immediately by:  
SAILOR MARS!

...and Jupiter bounded to Malachite and pulled him bodily away from Serena and Darien: "HOW DARE YOU —!" and she turned to Serena and smiled awkwardly. "What'd he do?"

Darien had spun on Serena: "What the hell's going on?"

With Jupiter and Mars now on either side of Malachite, Serena stepped towards the Shitennou and demanded, "Where are you friends, Malachite?"

Malachite played dumb, struggling against the Senshis' grip on him: "Back at the dorm?" To Darien: "Why are the Sailor Senshi here, Mr. Chiba?"

SAILOR VENUS!  
SAILOR MERCURY!

As the newest Senshi appeared, Darien said quietly to Serena, "'_Malachite_?' —Do we know him?"

Serena looked away from her nemesis, looked at Darien, said quietly, "_Negaverse_."

Luna came bounding in late, just as Sailor Mercury yelled over to Sailor Venus, but really to Serena: "Okay, we're here! What do we have?" Her computer apparently wasn't reading anything; but it had proven useless on more than one occasion in the last few months.

Luna remembered, however, and was by Serena's side, hair on end: "Do you know where the others are?"

Sailor Mars breathed a sigh of relief that this hadn't been a false alarm, and grabbed Malachite by the collar harder. "Your FRIENDS, buddy! Where are they!"

Luna continued, to the whole group: "This is one of BERYL's associates. Originally from the Silver Millennium."

Serena said, "Ya'I know, and posing as Darien's teacher!"

Darien swiftly grabbed Malachite from the Senshi, flipped him over, and put a knee in his back. "Thanks for telling me," he said gruffly to Serena. Then, to his T.A., he warned, "The scouts asked you a question!"

Luna, still wide-eyed, asked Serena, "Are we to assume that you spared the ENTIRE NEGAVERSE?"

Serena was completely hyper, feeling a need to transform, but really not wanting to do the peep show thing in the park if it wasn't necessary. She shook her head, asked Luna wide-eyed: "I know there are three more — do you know who they are?"

Darien's evil meter went off the instant Mercury and Venus launched sudden, devastating attacks:

MERCURY BUBBLES!  
VENUS LOVE CHAIN!

..prompting Darien to transform into Tuxedo Mask; he kept a hold on Malachite who had tried to run in the sudden melee..

..and watched in horror as Serena was instantly accosted by one of several large, ugly youma that appeared out of nowhere — beasts he barely remembered but which were tickling at his brain now.

..and then he felt a sharp point at his neck: "SERENA TSUKINO!" Malachite called, now clearly in control of Tuxedo Mask instead of the other way around. "Do you really want to repeat THIS tragedy?"

Luna jumped on Malachite, giving Mask the opportunity to grab Malachite's knife and try to wield it against who he now suddenly remembered well as one of his four traitorous Shitennou.

"MARS FIRE POWER!", Mars attacked one of the youma nearest Serena. One finally fell, turning into a park bench and bouncing harmlessly towards another youma. Several more youma had popped up now and turned on Sailor Mars, pounding her with air punches that swiftly left her laying limp in a treetop, high above the park.

Malachite called another youma to attack Tuxedo Mask and Luna, then dashed out of sight. Darien grabbed the cat just as the youma reached for her, and then he blew a rose into the youma's face and turned, dashing madly for the crowd of youma around Serena's last known position.

Sailor Venus met him there and together they attacked the largest one. Venus's love chain was doing little more than bopping off the youma, annoying the beasts more than injuring them, and both she and Sailor Jupiter were caught up in youma fists. Venus screamed, "They're worse than droids!"

Sailor Venus thumped to the ground, followed by Jupiter, thanks in part to Tuxedo Mask's rose, and in part Sailor Mercury's effective bubbles attack against the small youma crushing Sailor Jupiter. Mercury yelled to Jupiter, "Can you get to Rei?" and pointed up to a motionless girl in the tree. "I'm going for Serena!"

Sailor Jupiter screamed in horror at seeing Rei in the tree. She tried to bolt up; was thrashed from behind by another youma. Felt sure she'd suffered a few broken ribs from the attack. She turned and blasted out a Thunder attack, not even knowing the damages inflicted before she'd turned towards the tree holding Rei.

Malachite stalked past Tuxedo Mask as the masked hero battled side-by-side with Sailor Mercury. Malachite yelled out to him, "Sorry, we've gotta take the girl!" And he grinned wickedly as a kid went flying past. "_You can keep the youma!_"

Tuxedo Mask finished the youma he and Mercury were battling, then dashed off after Malachite. He was immediately brought down by the first youma he'd seen that day; heard Sailor Venus throw her Venus Love Chain around the youma; *_felt_* as the chain wrapped around the youma and hit it. He stabbed the youma near its neck with his cane, and as the youma disappeared, he fell hard to the ground below.

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**TRANSFORMATION**

Darien and Ami sat at the hospital with a now-bandaged Lita, waiting for word about Rei. Luna, Artemis, and Sailor Venus had taken off to try to find Serena; and their next hope was for Rei to leave the hospital and try to contact the Black Moon brothers. They'd all been pretty well creamed by the former Beryl associates; with Ami's Sailor Mercury attacks being the most effective against the youma, and her computer skills helping to locate and find the remaining youma.

Sailor Mars' fire attacks may have worked as well as Mercury's attacks, but she'd gotten only one attack off before being put out of the battle. Jupiter's thunder may have worked better, but she had been focused on physical attacks in her anger, so her thunder attacks went underused.

Sailor Venus had been nearly inconsolable, though, since her Love Chain attack was useless against youma, at least the way she'd been using the attack. That was a big reason she was out now with cats trying to track down Serena.

Lita sat harshly beside Darien. Tears threatening. Whispered angrily, "Who was that motherfucker, Darien? WHO!"

Darien, defeated completely but trying to remain calm, said, "He'd been posing as a teacher's assistant in my BioChem class for the last few weeks. Three weeks."

Ami added, "Luna said he was one of your minions from the Silver Millennium. Then one of Beryl's minions."

"So if he'll listen to you why don't you get Serena BACK?" Lita shot at Darien. Grumbled, "I am so SICK of these people from the past, and the future. What the HELL would they want with Serena?"

Darien thought the most important question was how they'd completely overcome Serena. Had it been planned? —Of course it was planned, he silently lashed himself. Asshole probably followed them this afternoon. He checked his watch. Considered calling the Tsukinos. Didn't think he could manage.

"Ami," he said gruffly, "would you call Serena's parents and ..make an excuse." Tears filled his eyes; he pushed them away and remained focused. When he'd lost his focus in the park just an hour ago, he'd been toppled by the youma and lost Serena. It had taken Sailor Mercury to finish off the youma, with help from Venus bonking them on the head first with her Love Chain. Darien had fled in the last known direction he'd seen Malachite taking; he could feel nothing, not from Serena, not from their bond, and not even a whiff of evil.

It had taken a shrill Luna to get him to come back to the battle and help finish off the youma. And when he had, Lita had already taken Rei off to the hospital. Luna had ORDERED him to get Rei and Lita and call the Black Moon brothers for help. She'd argued that Saphir had brought the Negaverse back, wanted Serena's help now, and would surely be their best bet at finding and, if need be, rescuing Serena.

Ami stood up, placed a hand on Darien's shoulder. "I'll call. I'll ask if she can have dinner at my house." Smiling slightly, Ami added, "We'll get her back, Darien."

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Serena woke up. It was dark; she was in wet grass.

She was TRANSFORMED, she realized in horror, pushing that bright-ass sword as far from her face as possible; looking away. She realized her hands and feet were bound together ..and tied to a tree. She pulled slightly, and the ropes snapped like hay straws. "Weak," she mumbled, smiling.

She moved to stand, and realized her wings were lashed against her body as well. She flicked through those with her right hand, then flapped them to loosen the bonds. "I'll never get used to wings," she said, irritated.

She moved to detransform, sensing no danger, and immediately blacked out.

When she woke again, she was shining like a light bulb. She felt sore, but strong. She was TRANSFORMED. She jumped up, screamed in agony as her sword almost pulled her back again. Cried, "What's WRONG with me?"

She took a deep breath, opted to stay in this form for a second. Found a water fountain, and went to sip from it.

"Excuse me, Miss?"

She spun, saw police officers. Eyes went wide. "Hi!" she said, trying to cover herself with voluminous wings but almost slicing her right arm off in the process.

"What the hell—" one officer said.

The other nervously drew a gun on her: "Okay, put that white shit down! _NOW!_"

Serena nodded, hands in the air: "I'll try—" and she thought LET GO. _LET GO! _Panicking, she said, "It won't let go!"

"DOWN ON THE GROUND" the scared officer yelled. Just as a cat jumped over him, tearing the gun from his hand, and alarmingly for the officer, she spoke: "Aiming a firearm at a Senshi? Not on my watch!"

Sailor Venus jumped in, kicking the other officer in the head as she did so: "Serena!" she yelled.

.

.

.

Mina walked Serena quickly away from the cops, and Serena told them how she woke up. "Everytime I try to get out of this get-up, I wake up still transformed!"

Luna said, "Well it would certainly be helpful if you could at least turn that sword off. We're lit up like a Christmas tree out here."

Mina got through to Darien's phone and told him Serena was fine, but had been tied up, and was being arrested when they found her.

"He's on his way!" Mina announced.

Serena asked, "Where's everybody else?" as she tried to detransform again.

Luna screeched; Mina screamed in horror. Serena had detransformed just fine, but fallen to the ground like a slab of meat. Mina fell beside her: "Serena! Oh my God her arm's BROKEN! She's been STABBED in the chest—!"

Artemis kicked wet leaves against Serena's back and pressed his whole body against her: "Stab wound in the back— Luna, we need something better to stop the bleeding!"

Almost immediately, a warm light glowed over Serena and she transformed back into her naked, winged, and sworded transformation. Injury free.

Luna stood over her, shocked. Backed off as that white sword started glowing threateningly again.

Mina, still kneeling beside her and, like Artemis, now swathed in blood, said in horror, "Whenever we get injured, we _LOSE _our transformations."

"This transformation's protecting her," Luna said, stunned. "—why didn't she transform BEFORE they hurt her?"

"We've got to get her medical attention," Artemis said, determined. "At the very least, she's lost a lot of blood—"

"Broken arm," Mina said, remembering it and cringing. Then, touching Serena's right arm, added hypnotically, "It looks so straight and natural now! But —but Luna she looked dead!"

Serena woke up, saw Mina, heard 'dead'. "What?" she asked, sitting up. Then glaring at that sword.

Mina hugged her, not caring about her sword. "Honey they beat you up pretty bad. That's why you can't detransform! Luna, what are we going to do?"

Serena stood up. "I feel fine!" she said. "I don't know why I'm here—" and she looked around. "Where's Darien?" And then, horrified, she said, "I've had my mind erased again, haven't I?"

Luna said, "Serena, we don't know what's happened to you. We were battling Malachite and his youma — they took you! We just found you! You don't remember any of that?"

Serena shook her head; went to detransform, and was halted rudely by Artemis jumping her hand as Luna shrieked, "No!"

Mina grabbed Serena's arms, careful of the sword, and looked her in the eyes: "Sweetheart, you can't detransform. You..." she breathed deeply to calm herself. "—you're really, badly hurt. Your arm," and she picked up her right arm, felt gently up towards her elbow: "...it's broken right here. The BONE is sticking out. And you've been stabbed in the chest!"

"Back," Artemis corrected, and the white cat turned around to show Serena his coat of fur splattered with blood." "Entry wound in your shoulder blade, Serena. I imagine your lungs have been compromised."

Serena looked at Mina: "What can I do? I can't stay ...like this! I'M NAKED! I've got WINGS—!" and started hyperventilating.

Mina sat her down on a nearby fountain wall. But by the white sword light Serena saw blood pooled near her feet; Serena jumped up: "You said 'dead' —Mina! Am I _dead_?"

Luna had jumped up beside Serena, and now looked sternly at her: "You've _got _to keep your wits about you! WE ALL DO!"

Artemis agreed. Then, "How do you _FEEL_, Serena?"

"NAKED!" she cried. "The baby!" she remembered. She looked at her naked stomach; saw the glowing crescent moon there. But still looked at Mina: "Is the baby okay?"

Mina held her arms down, wary of the sword still but as calm as she could manage with tears falling from her eyes at a good clip. "Look!" she said, and pointed at the tiny glowing crescent moon on her belly. "Maybe that's why you're in this form. To protect the baby. Serena." And then she turned to Luna, "We can get her to a hospital. I don't give a damn what she looks like now; she can't just STAY LIKE THIS!"

"Why not?" Luna asked in a near-shriek. "She's not bleeding NOW! And she's breathing fine!"

.

.

Darien arrived promptly, with Lita and Ami following behind. He nearly tripped over Artemis, who hissed, and blindly grabbed Serena's shoulders: "Dammit Serena where have you been?" Nearly every bit of fear and worry he'd successfully buried for the last several hours now unleashed on her.

Mina and Luna jumped up together as Serena stepped back, crying, sword flailing over her face as she forgot again that it was there. Mina yelled, "Darien! She's hurt — back up!"

Ami came up quickly, slid into Darien, plopped on the ground. "Whaa-?" and stood up, wiping her hands and feet. Seeing the blood.

Mina covered her gasp, started crying again, as Ami looked up at them. "Whose blood is this?"

Serena cried, shaking her head. "Mine! _I can't detransform!_ They hurt me!"

Lita had helped Ami up, then asked Serena: "How bad?"

Artemis repeated, "She was stabbed in the back. Through and through, like a sword wound. I think her lungs are severely compromised."

Mina added, still horrified, "She was coughing blood, and passed out —her arm's broken bad! The bone's sticking out!"

Luna added, " Malachite didn't intend to leave her alive, it seems—"

Darien shook his head, having seen Serena in this form earlier today, knowing she looked much the same now as she did then. He took her hands, still in shock, and ignoring the sudden proximity of the hilt of the sword. With a whimper, asked, "Why didn't you transform BEFORE they hurt you?"

"I don't remember anything!" She went to wipe her eyes; the sword almost hit her head, but bounced away and sheathed itself in her plumes behind her leg. Shocked, she said, "Hey! Did you see that?"

Ami was beside Serena now, kneeling. "It's still glowing, but it's as well-hidden as we've ever seen." Looked up at Serena. "So what happens when you detransform?"

Serena hung her head. "That's where I've been tonight! I kept trying to detransform, but everytime I'd wake up like this again." She started weeping, and said, "Well, I woke up the first time, I was hog-tied to those trees over there."

"What?" Darien asked, trying to figure out a way to deal with his anger. Fantasizing about tearing Malachite limb from limb wasn't helping him focus on the task at hand. And this latest bit of news surely didn't help his focus.

Luna said, "You must have transformed at some point, and when they couldn't hurt you anymore, they tied you up. —Wonder why they wouldn't take you with them, though? They took you at first."

"She was just Serena then," Darien said gruffly. Then, "Do you think you're healing under that makeup? —Transformation?"

Serena shook her head not knowing the answer, but lifted her arm that Mina had said was broken, as if trying to discern pain there. Now with her sword sheathed, she felt her elbow. "It feels fine," she said meekly, crying lightly. "Maybe we should check and see?"

"No!" Luna demanded. "Please, ...no." To Darien, "Only Mina, Artemis and I have seen the wounds, Darien, but look at the ground! LOOK AT ARTEMIS! Serena's bleeding profusely! This transformation has to be what's keeping her alive."

Artemis jumped up to a limb near Serena's head. "Lady Moon, you can't detransform now. I don't know what we can do, but that's just not an option."

Lita took off her jacket and held it tentatively over Serena's body: "Your ..'wings' are too long." Beat. "But if we put this on backwards..." and she moved the jacket over Serena's arms gently.

Ami, from behind, pulled the jacket taut and buttoned a button in the back. "It catches on her lower plumes, but we can safety pin it."

"I've got a collar in my mouth," Serena mumbled.

Luna spat out, "It's what we've GOT, Serena. Maybe some kind of curtain to cover her lower half—"

"And what?" Serena asked. "I can walk around town like this? LOOK AT MY HAIR! I look like Grandma Moses!"

"Look at your wings," Lita deadpanned. "There's no hiding those. They go up over her head —damn, what ARE we calling you in this transformation?"

"Does it still drain you to be ._.like this_?" Darien asked, concerned, scared to get too close to her for fear of cat scratch fever — Luna was wound up tight tonight. Much like them all.

Serena thought about it. "I could sleep. But no, I guess I don't feel any kind of drain like I used to in this form." Beat. "Where's Rei?"

Lita said, "She's in the hospital, Serena. Those youma broke her up pretty bad, too. We were waiting for her to get out of surgery when Mina called."

And then Darien's eyes lit up. "Demand! —he could help! Serena, he was able to keep Mina alive a few months ago! He just touched the rose and it disintegrated! He's GOT to be able to do something for you!" He backed up, beckoning her on. "You'll be safe at Rei's. We'll go there, and ..Ami, you've been studying her fires, right? You contact Demand!"

Ami stared after the group as they took off. Shook her head with an empty laugh. 'Sure Ami, you just call up these invisible moon people we haven't been able to contact at will before.' She shuddered at the thought of reaching the always-angry Rubeus first.

.

.

.

_TEMPLE_

The group had gotten Serena to Rei's, and Lita had fed them and gone back to the hospital with Rei's grandfather to check on Rei. Darien had taken Serena to a large guestroom bed and helped Serena lay face-down on the bed, hoping that would keep her wings from irritating her.

"I'm so scared I'm going to lose you," he wept silently, gently brushing her hair back over her wings with tender fingerstrokes.

Serena was laying there, staring at the pillow. "Mina said I was dead. In my other form. What if I lose this transformation—"

"Don't talk like that!" Darien snapped softly, although that was the same fear he had. "We're going to find Demand. He loves you, Serena; he'll do anything he can to save you. I know this."

"Darien?" she asked, weakly. Closing her eyes against the tears. "_WHO _is Malachite?"

Darien shifted angrily. "A dead man," he finally answered.

"Why would he do this to me?" she asked. "I don't remember doing anything to him." She tried to glance over her damned plume at Darien. He knelt down more, coming into her line of sight. She added, "I remembered Rubeus the moment he attacked us. And Beryl, and Emerald. Demand. And the more time I spent with them, the more I remembered. They _HAD _reason to attack me. I don't remember much at all about Malachite, though."

"It's not you he's after," Darien finally said, gravely. "It's ...they were Endymion's generals," he answered, separating himself from that moniker as much as he could. "They disagreed with our joining our kingdoms together—"

"I know all that, Dare," Serena said miserably, trying to roll over to face him. "I meant, WHO is he? To YOU? NOW?"

Darien shrugged. "Absolutely nothing. You —you remember? that they were beholden to Beryl? All of them fiercely against the future kingdom we were going to make. Beyond that, I'm not sure what else I can answer. You remember more than I do."

Serena closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. Darien stayed put. Then at some point, he crawled onto the bed with her, cuddling as close as he could.

.

Hours later, they were disturbed from their sleep when a large coterie of people entered the room. Darien jumped up when he saw Saphir, then Demand. Lights came on, and he saw Rei, on crutches, in the room as well. Tears welled up in his eyes; he held his arms out, pleading: "Can you help her?"

Demand pushed his way through, followed closely by the stumbling Rei, and he knelt at the bed as Serena sat up. He felt the material of the awkward jacket buttoned on backwards, then looked up at her. Called behind him: "Which side had the punctured lung?"

Mina stayed back, but answered, "her right side."

Rei had hobbled up to the bed beside Demand, dropped her crutches, and grabbed Serena's hand: "I'm so sorry honey! I never even saw you after the youma came."

Serena smiled sadly at her beaten up friend; reached out to touch her bruised and swollen face. Serena couldn't bear to speak an apology to her for calling her to the scene. For not trying to transform immediately and help them.

"_No, no,_" Rei soothed, pushing her hair off Serena's face, "_—don't you start crying._" Smiling warmly at her, Rei added, "We'd never get you to shut up, and you've got to be strong now—"

Saphir had moved to the foot of the bed and asked starkly, "And how were her legs and torso?"

Artemis said, "We didn't get a good assessment —there was so much blood, and it was dark."

Demand said, now to Serena, "I don't know much about your transformations, Serena, except you look EXACTLY like Neo-Queen Serenity herself. More now than you did a few months ago. Your face is younger, of course —and she has dresses and accouterments that work around her extra appendages." Beat. "—Your wings." He looked at her thoughtfully, then, "What I'm asking is, might it be possible that _this _is ...you? You, _now_? How do you _FEEL_, right now?"

Darien said, "Demand this ISN'T her. She didn't have ..._THIS _until she got pregnant."

Luna added, "I had been thinking she might go back to normal 'Sailor Moon' once the baby's born."

Saphir said, "But you don't know." Then, "We have to consider the possibility that her other body can't live. Can you live like this, if necessary?"

"She can live like this," Darien stated.

"Darien!" Serena said, shocked so much she almost bolted out of the bed, held down primarily by Demand and Rei. "—I couldn't ever go _home _again! And we don't even know that I'd stay like this." She looked at Demand, grabbed his hands: "This is _not _an option!"

Demand held his hands up: "Alright sweetheart ...although you are aware that this is—?"

Rei interjected quickly, glaring at Demand, "We'll fix you back up to the way you were."

Demand said, "Okay, we need to take a look." He stood, "I'd suggest we get this jacket off of her —something the Neo-Queen wouldn't ever be caught dead in, by the way."

Serena nodded. Said, "Did you get whatever you needed to travel to the future?"

Rei, who was helping Ami work the jacket off, said, "Let's not worry about that now, m'kay Sere? I want you to focus on what we're doing now the best you can."

"Ah yes," Saphir said, remembering a niggling little detail, "I've asked Ms Hino if she'd be able to breach your memories through this process, in the event that we lose you. So she's going to be out at her fires, keeping open a connection with you. If our luck doesn't hold out, we might be able to keep you alive that way."

Demand and Darien both glared at the man, and Demand insisted, "I've got her, Saphir." To Serena, "I've got you. Rei's going to be at the fires mainly to keep you calm. So if you see anyone trying to kiss you, I don't care if it's the biggest, ugliest version of Rubeus you can imagine, don't fight so hard this time," he winked. "Keep your mind on loverboy here," and he looked over at Darien, who was focused on Serena's hand. "He's going to be the one controlling your transformations."

"What?" Darien gushed. "I can't— she does her own!"

"She might not be able to," Demand said coldly. "You know the drill better than I do; and you share a bond with her. With Hino in her brain, and you controlling her transformations, we may be able to get a good assessment of her condition, then work on the repairs. But if she blinks back and forth between forms, we won't get a thing done and she'll die."

.

.

After sterilizing the room, and after Rei prepared her fires, the team was assembled. Lita, the least flappable of the Senshi, was going to play 'nurse' - get whatever the two Moon Brothers needed, help turn her, and ultimately keep Serena still. Darien was going to be at her undamaged left arm to keep her from transforming, or to force a transform if required.

Demand was prepared. "This will hurt, Serena, but Rei's going to do *exactly as I told her*, he emphasized loudly into the other room, "and numb sections of your brain so hopefully you won't pass out and transform into your Neo-Queen form too early."

Saphir said, "and if you do, Endymi-_darien_.. Darien, will force you back."

Demand continued, "I anticipate I'll do what I can, then let you transform back into the Neo-Queen naturally to heal further. We may have to do all this again."

Serena smiled warmly at him, already feeling calm and giddy as Rei drew her into the dark dreamworld. "Darien wants to be a doctor, too."

Demand nodded. "Comes in handy." Then, he signaled to Luna, who whistled Rei on in the other room. Serena winced and shook her head as Rei's machinations took full effect, and Demand said, "You're up, Loverboy."

Darien grimaced at the diminutive nickname, but calmed Serena by pulling her hair back gently. "It's Rei, dear. Let her in."

"I know," Serena said, eyes shut tight against Rei's dream. "I hate the invasion," she whimpered. "My mind is going to be like Swiss cheese."

Demand said, "My eternal queen, *detransform*."

.

Darien closed his eyes tightly; coughed out a sob.

"KEEP HER FROM TRANSFORMING, CHIBA!" Demand demanded ruthlessly.

Darien re-focused on Serena's face; he was sure her cheekbone had been broken. He thought he saw a shoeprint there. Her eyes blinked once..

"SHE'S PASSING OUT, CHIBA!"

Demand had quickly clotted the blood from her exit wound with his touch; "Lung damage, broken clavicle... KEEP HER AWAKE!" he cried, trying hard not to focus on the vermin Malachite that had so damaged his beloved. He moved quickly to her back... "AND... _ROLL_!"

Serena screamed, eyes closed. Saphir said, "Spinal cord, Demand!"

"ON IT!" Demand said, leaving her stab wound weeping as Lita shoved wadding into it without being asked. Demand felt her spinal cord; repaired it with great effort. Got dizzy with the effort; almost passed out. "SAPHIR!" he called out, eyes closed.

Saphir jumped in as planned, and Demand let go. As Saphir took over, Demand got his breath; turned and looked at her front torso, legs. "Well, look at that. They left some bruises on her legs, but otherwise her lower half is fine!"

"The baby?" Darien asked, choked up.

Demand said, observing, "Womb looks good. Closest damage I can see..." he moved his hands up her stomach, over her ribs, "good kick to the ribcage... SAPHIR, her heart's been compromised!"

Saphir instantly rolled her back over: "Get the rib!" he demanded.

"NO!" Demand argued; "SHE'LL BLEED OUT!"

Darien almost passed out as he stared at her ribcage, seeing nothing shocking there. He looked up at Demand: "Can you save her?" he begged.

As Saphir's hand reached IN through her skin, into her heart, a bolt of power shot out of her, knocking him clean across the room and causing Lita to scream. Serena flashed white and transformed into Neo-Queen Serenity; Rei yelped from the other room.

.

"It happened too fast!" Darien complained. "I thought there would be some warning?"

"Okay, that was new," Demand said, looking to Saphir for answers.

Saphir, less cordially, demanded, "We need to talk. —Outside!"

Rei came in, falling to the floor, temporarily blinded. "The Neo-Queen doesn't do mind melds. —she okay?"

Serena sat up, slowly: "I'm sorry, Rei. I don't know why I did that." Beat. "Did I die?"

Darien was sitting by her now-perfect but completely transformed fiancée. "No," he said. "But apparently you have a broken rib which punctured your heart. When Saphir went in to fix it, ..you transformed."

Lita added, "We were coming along so well!" She sat by Serena, "—one day, you've GOT to remember what happened and let us know. So we can return the favor to those assholes."

Rei then said, "Oh, I saw what happened. She remembers, deep down, but she's blocking it out. There were four men, and one of them made her pass out with a cloth over her face."

"_Chloroform?_" Demand laughed. "Ah, what idiots." Then thought better of it. "Well, maybe not so much.."

Rei continued, "When Serena came to, she was being dragged by a youma. She couldn't transform because two of the men were holding her hands far apart while the youma carried her." Rei winced. "One of the men stabbed her; the youma jerked her away, I think because he got stabbed as well. That's how her arm got broken. The youma turned away, but the man holding her arm didn't let go."

After a silence, Rei finished, "There was a bunch of yelling; they dusted their own youma and started fighting with each other. But it was that first guy, Malachite, who came over and started kicking her. I'm sure she was passed out by then; but when he kicked her in the chest, she transformed. That's all I was able to see."

Serena, looking at her feet, said hollowly, "I don't remember any of that."

Darien stood up and faced Demand, "Why didn't you mention these guys before, Demand?"

Demand put his hands up: "Woah woah woah, Chiba! They were just some unfortunates we picked out of that ruined Negaverse. They quit us after BERYL died, when it was decided we should change tactics. In no WAY did I think those losers would gear up and try to strike again!"

"And weren't they YOUR men?" Saphir asked wryly. "Looks like they have an axe to grind with *_you_*."

Serena interrupted: "Can you FIX me, Demand?"

Demand sat on her other side, opposite Darien. "I'm going to try, my love. Most of the rest is cosmetic, although there's still a puncture wound in your lung, as well as..." He had choked up, and looked out at the others, ashamed of himself for daring to let his emotions get the better of him. "Rubeus is very good with .._hearts_. I'm just not sure I trust him."

Saphir groaned from behind, "Oh please, Demand. He'll be here as soon as he can!" To the others, he said, "He's mining plutonium at the moment. But he'd be pleased to repair the lady's damage." Beat. "I'll tell you right now that I'm not going to attempt it again and risk— ...she's too damaged. Rubeus is the only one who _can _do it."

.

Darien left Serena in her Neo-Queen form sleeping peacefully, and bound outside after Demand, who'd gone out to take a smoke break.

"Chiba," Demand said from far ahead, without turning. As Darien walked up to him, Demand offered him a smoke.

"What kind of doctor smokes?" Darien asked, challenging.

Demand blew out smoke and glanced over at Darien. Smiled. "You *_will_*," Demand said, then returned to puffing.

"Besides," Demand drawled, "I'm not a doctor in any conventional sense of the word." He regarded Darien again, "My experiences are primarily with the mind, and the way the mind interacts with the body." He puffed again. "Rubeus knows hearts well because —well, that was his attack. His specialty."

Darien nodded coldly. Then, with more emotion than intended, he said, "I want these guys."

Demand smiled, "We have much more in common than one might initially believe."

Darien stared straight ahead. "Serena, she cares about ..healing people. Even the worst criminals."

"And you don't," Demand said. When Darien didn't respond, Demand said, "One would think, I suppose, that I envy you. —the you of the future," he corrected with a smile, as if envying the current, young Darien Chiba was something of a joke. "_'King Endymion'_," he clarified. "—But I don't."

Demand smiled at Darien's glare. "If I recall my original history lessons, which notably MAY have been tainted by our wrongly-imprisoned mentors," he smiled tightly, "you spent most of your centuries much like you are right now. Defending your family. Putting down rebellions. Plotting, always, ...as you are now out here, with me."

"I'm not '_plotting_'," Darien snarled. "I want your help. I want to take these four men out, and any others you may know about." Beat. More quietly: "And I want them dead before Serena can have a say in the matter."

Demand smiled, quite wryly. "Of course."

Darien asked, slowly, "In your future, Demand, —do I ever lose her?"

Demand chuckled. "You don't want the answer to that, Mr. Chiba." When he saw raw anger in Darien's eyes, though, he explained, "In *_my_* future, you do NOT lose her. Oh, I suppose she had gotten herself in some hot water a few times; hell, I'd have never laid eyes on her had she not ignored her guards and approached me with this .._unquenchable fire_ in her eyes that I just had to ..get to know better." Demand blushed at the memory, how such a tiny girl could capture his soul so easily. "*_I_* trapped her on my first attempt." Staring at Darien, though, he added quickly, "I couldn't get her to come with me; and I couldn't take her, of course. So I froze her in time for a few years—"

Darien, eyes wide in horror at his sworn enemy's professions, burst out, "A FEW YEARS?" Darien felt sure he couldn't bear that in any lifetime. "What did you HOPE to GAIN?"

Demand raised an eyebrow. "Her!" Demand smiled. "—I'm not the same creature now, Mr. Chiba. I remember these things clearly, but she's since healed me. What I feel for Serena now is very different than the —" he licked his lips, trying to recall the urges he had felt. "The _obsession_, I had for her then. She slept peacefully; your daughter came back to the past for help. I believe you were in on that yourself, somehow. We were at an impasse; so I just held her until I could figure out a way to ..win." He smiled wryly.

Demand continued, "Things are different now. For one, your first child is a son."

Darien almost choked on that. Remembered the healing they'd just done to Serena; accepted that Demand had probably scanned the child, as well.

Demand said, "I have realized, of course, there's no way for YOU to remember a past you wouldn't have lived yet. I'm not sure how Serenity is doing it, unless this Neo-Queen transformation is actually part of the future Serenity protecting her. Do you see my confusion? Even with Chaos and the Silver Crystal dispersed throughout time, your Serena's memories shouldn't encompass the *future* of her past lives."

Darien said, "Serena remembers the girl. 'Chibiusa', she said. I believe she thinks she's carrying the girl now."

Demand shrugged. "I'm aware of this. It's possible that your daughter's time just hasn't come yet." Beat. "It's also possible that your daughter won't exist now. This is new territory for us all, Mr. Chiba. We're not sure if there will even be an ice glacier for Serenity to melt which raises her to Neo-Queen properly in this time period! It SHOULD be so, but then again, so many things are different this time around. ... so no, Mr. Chiba, I can't tell you if you LOSE Serena in the future, because we're not there yet. If I felt comfortable with the notion of 'our future', I wouldn't be so concerned about saving Serena's life NOW."

Darien choked up. "I need her, Demand." Cleared his throat. "I'm aware you have some kind of ..attachment to her as well..."

"I love her!" Demand said angrily. "Tremendously! I dream about her constantly! She's part of my soul. —But I'm also aware of her 'attachment' to you. I'm perfectly satisfied just being able to ..be some part of her existence. I don't want her wrath; I want her love. And if I can't have that, I'll take the occasional smile."

And then Demand said, more gravely, "I don't think you could possibly understand having the woman you love incapable of thinking of you as more than a ..a friend, or a shopping buddy, or whatever it is. She has feelings towards me, I'm sure you're aware. But despicably they're more feelings of responsibility." He smiled warmly, "Maybe sometimes respect, because of an ancient sacrifice I made for her. To know that she could feel that much for you, but only that much, is to know despair." Beat. "In any event, that's why I could never force myself on her. I couldn't stand to lose even that much affection from her."

Darien, feeling more of a kinship with Demand than he was comfortable with, nodded quietly, although he also did jumping jacks and primal screams of joy in his soul. Tamping that great joy a bit, he diplomatically said, "Serena spoke of you with respect even when describing to me how she willingly kissed you in that .._dream_. She thinks very highly of you. Which, as you know, I found disturbing. But I have to admit that I find strange comfort knowing that you're this protective of her. It trumps any ..jealousy, I have felt in the past."

Demand smiled, blew his smoke out in a long stream. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were tasking me as your new Number One!"

Darien raised his eyebrow. "And who was my old one? Luna the cat?"

Demand, with sudden grave seriousness, said, "No, Mr. Chiba. Your last Number One was Malachite, the man who tried to tear your woman limb from limb." Beat. "OUR number one nemesis."

Darien nodded, feeling not at all unsettled about this new alliance. "Again, though, Serena can't know what we're planning to do. We need to find them, strike hard. End it swiftly."

Demand said, "I spoke with Ms. Hino on the way here tonight. She was able to recall at least one new employee in the mall who fit the description of one of the four. The one who we called Zoicite. Since Malachite was your professor's assistant, and Zoicite may be working in the area the girls hang around, I'd assume the other two are likewise assimilated into your world, right under your nose. And they've had months to plan."

"Plan to kill Serena?" Darien asked, angrily.

"No," Demand said. "These idiots try to steal ..souls, I'd guess you'd call it. What I'd call chakra. As much as BERYL wanted to use her old mind attacks against you, I'd guess these men have been trying to accumulate chakra from people; they had to ultimately realize its uselessness."

"Uselessness?" Darien asked. "What if they're able to collect 'chakra' and maybe re-bind CHAOS?"

Demand laughed lightly. "Much against your advice, Mr. Chiba, Serenity dispersed her Silver Crystal to all to help counter-balance the Chaos she had distributed. None of us know the full implications, of course, as they're still playing out. But one thing she did manage was to ensure that the two opposite crystals were FUSED in each human, so that if one were to lose their Chaos, they'd lose their Silver Crystal as well. The Silver Crystal would stay with the Chaos. That way there could be no fusions of pure Chaos - any fusions would be rendered ineffective immediately." Beat. "Yeah, she can be a real witch at times. But you've got to admire her thinking."

Demand continued, "THOSE four men of yours are Old School. They seemed to believe that if they could get YOU away from HER, they could somehow forge an earth kingdom and stamp out Senshi everywhere, thus ruling this system with you as their king. They have a severe, innate animosity against all things 'moon'. —Which, I might add, translated as much to Black Moon family members as it did to Silver Millennium moon family members."

"So they're useless; we kill them," Darien summed up.

Demand said, as if warning, "Serenity would never make a judgment like that."

Darien spun on Demand: "Serena doesn't make all the judgments."

Demand nodded. "Indeed. Very well, then. They shall pay, dearly, for their crimes against the Neo-Queen. But Serena will not be happy with such judgments."

"I know," Darien said darkly. "I'll handle Serena." Then, remembering Serena's sorry state at that instant, added, "Well, after you fix her."

.

.

.

Lita walked home that night, and stopped into an all-night convenience store to get a very late night soda. A beautiful man happened to be in the shop, and after much small talk, offered to walk her home. Lita smiled warmly, and soon they were holding hands. Near her home, he pulled her aside, kissed her.

Lita was dreamily thinking how she may have finally found her true love in this Nephrite, when she was struck from behind.

Jadeite appeared from the shadows, and the two of them held Lita up and 'drunk walked' her to their car.


	7. Chapter 7

**Negaverse Rising**

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**Chapter 7**

Malachite had tied the senshi up much the way he'd hamstrung Endymion's woman. He'd threatened her with his sword, a lovely piece he'd recently picked up in an antique store. No future Black Moon items for him; he prided himself on his purity from anything unearthly. This planet had consistently produced the strongest of everything, including weapons, and most particularly strong souls. A strong soul could make use of the most humble of weapons and battle successfully any otherworldly evils. Including Sailor Senshi.

"Sailor Jupiter, worshiper of the Moon Witch, who is ushering in a hellish future led by sprites and genies from everywhere BUT Earth—!"

Lita kicked at her bindings, spat through her mouth gag. How the hell was she supposed to talk when they'd _GAGGED _her?

Malachite knelt down, spat in her face; watched her squirm. "Remember me from yesterday, Lita?" He chuckled at her widened eyes; yes, he knew her identity, thanks in large part to the Black Moon Clan. "You're wondering how I know so much about you!"

"Just get on with it," Nephrite spat. "You said you'd let her go if she told you what you wanted, but you're not asking her anything useful—!"

Lita's eyes shot up to Nephrite. Hurt. He caught her glance, and looked away quickly.

Jadeite moved the dark-haired Shitennou away from the business at hand, into a dark corner. "Calm down, brother," the dashing Shitennou said. " Malachite knows what he's doing, and if you two get into another fight now like you did yesterday, I'm afraid he'll try to _dispatch _you again."

Malachite gleamed across the room at the two errant Shitennou, who in his estimation barely deserved the name. But he figured he could use Nephrite's weakness this time. He knelt down to Lita, resting his sharp blade across her shoulders, near her emerald green choker. He said, "Looks like _Nephrite's_ got a little crush!"

Nephrite struggled against Jadeite when Lita tried screaming; Jadeite tried to manhandle him away further, block his view. Nephrite said angrily, "Then you tell HIM that he's going about it all wrong! Lita ISN'T like Endymion's wench!" He smiled as his comrade nervously straightened his uniform; Nephrite was nobody's bitch, and he wouldn't let Malachite's bitch treat him like one.

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_SAVING LITA_

Serena bolted up in bed, screaming. Rei rolled over quickly, her casted leg flying against Serena's kneecap, causing both herself and Serena inordinate amounts of pain —which Rei sucked in sharply as she tried to sit up without blowing her top.

Serena was now on her knees in the bed, wide eyes staring in horror at Rei as she excitedly mumbled, "Something's wrong —ohmigod something's wrong something's wrong something's—"

Rei grabbed Sere's shoulders and started shaking her: "_I GOT IT! Something's wrong!_ What's—?"

"—_with Lita_ Rei something's wrong with Lita!" Serena gasped out.

Rei realized her fairy-looking friend was hyperventilating, and went to hug her, to calm her down... hesitated due to her uncovered boobs. Rei shoved some sheets into Serena's arms instead then rubbed her arms, saying, "Please calm the hell down! Serena! —we'll give her a call!"

Ami and Mina had bumrushed the room, asking what was wrong. Ami's scanner was on Serena: "Blood pressure's way up! Oxygen level's through the roof..." She looked at Serena. "You're hyperventilating!"

Rei was about to snap at Captain Obvious when Mina plopped down on the bed, jarring Rei's broken leg and causing her to yelp out in anguish.

Mina asked Serena, "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

Serena said, "Lita! —_something happened!_ We've got to find her she's in trouble!"

Rei had backed off the bed, dragging her casted leg with her until it crashed to the floor, and then reached for her crutches, silently cursing all the klutzes in the room. Mumbled, '_oh Rei, can you watch Serena, she sleeps like a baby, it won't be any trouble..._'

Mina said, "Here, Sere —we'll call her right now!" and hit her communicator.

Serena stood and moved off the bed as Mina and Ami worked on contacting Lita. Sere reached for the bed sheet and started wrapping it around her—

"Where do you think _YOU'RE_ going?" Rei asked, turning her crutches back around and heading for Serena.

Serena shook her head, trying to tie the sheet, and said, "Rei Lita's in trouble —I think I saw it! I can _feel _it!" She was trying to use Darien's stupid calming techniques on her breathing, and enumerate the steps she had to take to do a simple task, which right now was to get out of the temple. Number one, don't be naked. Two, communicate the problem. She was failing miserably—

"You're tying your wings all up, dummy," Rei spat, leaning a crutch on the bed so she could bend over and help her out.

Mina announced, "She's not answering..." Bit her lip. "But there's no emergency distress signal, either, Sere." Beat. "But even if there were, _YOU _can't go out, Serena! Demand said you needed to stay in bed!" She smiled at the naked moon senshi who, beneath her transformation, was beaten sorely and near death. "Ami and I will go try to find her—!"

"_NO!_" Serena said sharply. Rei was fidgeting with the sheet, uselessly; Serena grabbed her up and said, "Rei, where's Darien?"

Ami came over with a shirt and said, "Try this. It's very thin, it buttons up, and I brought some safety pins!

Serena lost it and disentangled herself from the sheet, burst out of the room, stormed through the sanctuary and out the door. She got a flash of Lita laying on a dark floor with a sword pointed at her head; the image hit her like a wet cloth slapping her face, taking her breath with sharp pain—

.

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Malachite had long since ripped the gag out of Lita's mouth. He'd asked her immediately about their transformations, but her responses were useless. Except for the fact that, when he told her to transform, she blurted out that the other Senshi would know she'd transformed if she did so.

What Malachite wanted to know - NEEDED to know, was how exactly how the Moon Witch had transformed yesterday, saving herself from certain death, when she had been unconscious. Everytime he'd gotten near that subject, though, Lita had either steered him in the wrong direction, or she had given him an impossible answer. Or, he considered, an answer that didn't square with his experience with the Moon Witch approximately 12 hours ago.

Nephrite had come back into the fray, far before Malachite was ready for him. Malachite had just starting to work Lita over, after all — a few kicks to that giant head of hers, and Nephrite was shrieking like a girl, even worse than the girl herself! If anything, Malachite was more impressed with Lita's stamina than his fellow Shitennou's.

Malachite said, "You need to go search your stars for some answers, Nephrite, before you get your girlfriend here killed! And that's something NONE of us want! —_Right_?"

"She's not LIKE the Moon Bitch!" Nephrite spat out. "Kicking her head in won't do a thing but HURT her! She doesn't transform that way you insufferable idiot—!"

"_SHUT UP!_" Malachite stammered, so angry that this shithead was spilling his guts in front of the prey. "GET OUT! _NOW!_"

When Malachite slashed his sword dangerously close to Nephrite's neck, Zoicite jumped in: "Please, this is how we failed before, turning on each other!" Zoicite pulled the offending Shitennou back, far back, from Malachite, then turned to face him. Insisted, quietly, "Let Malachite do his job. *_Please_*! He's brilliant; he knows what he's doing!"

But Lita had sat up when Malachite tried to attack Nephrite. Squirming under Malachite's suddenly-drawn blade, she said, "You want to know why Serena transformed! _WE DON'T KNOW!_ I swear! _SHE _doesn't even know! But Nephrite's right—most of us don't transform automatically when we're being beaten! It's exactly the opposite!"

Malachite rolled his eyes, trying to calm himself. He stabbed the sword into the ground, dangerously close to Lita's face, and stormed over to Nephrite. Pushed him to the door. "Zoicite, you too!"

And when all four Shitennou congregated, Malachite said, "We don't have much more time with her, before we have to release her. So, Nephrite, you're outta here! _Go!_ Go to your estate downtown and .._stay there!_ Look At Your Stars, or whatever it is you do. —I will try not to hurt your woman."

Nephrite spat out quietly, "She's not _MY _woman, you paranoid idiot! If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have even _this _shot at her. —but I guarantee you you're going about this the wrong way! If your interest is in killing the Moon Bitch before she destroys the world, you'd better change your tactics. Stop torturing this girl for fun; stop telling her how Great You Are. Get the information you want, then set. her. free!"

Zoicite said, "Nephrite, you should go."

"Indeed," Malachite smiled. "—And since dawn isn't too far away now, I'm going to need some lookouts. Zoicite, Jadeite, get _Nephrite _off the campus, and then spread out here to let me know if you see *_any_* of their group."

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_THE GREAT HUNT_

Demand and Darien had long since made it downtown, and Demand was looking at his handheld which he claimed could locate Endymion's Shitennou, using locators Saphir had shot into their brains before pulling them out of the Negaverse. "We never had to use them, of course. We primarily didn't trust Beryl; she was insane. But everyone got the locators." Beat. "I'm getting nothing from any of those particular four, though." Beat. "Unless they crawled back into the Negaverse—"

"You had a faint blip when you first checked, back at the temple!" Darien argued. "Are you sure they can't disguise it?"

"I told you, your Shitennou are _Old School_, Mr. Chiba. They know nothing of the mind. —Souls? They imagine so. But the actual literal ~_brain_~? Where the locators are implanted? Never."

BLIP.

Demand shrugged. "I underestimated them." The two turned around and took off in the direction of the signal. "If that indicator was accurate, they're underground."

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Zoicite had seen Endymion running towards them, and was awestruck. Ran out to greet him emphatically; then saw the traitorous Demand with him. Wondered if Endymion had turned Demand. Zoicite bowed deeply as the pair approached at a quick clip. "My lord," he got out, seconds before Darien Chiba kicked him viciously under his chin, instantly snapping Zoicite's neck. Darien stepped over him like he was filth, then continued into the building.

Demand bent over Zoicite, then watched Darien move into the building. Demand stared after him, then sullenly grabbed the dead Shitennou's arms and dragged his body towards the bushes to hide the evidence.

A brilliant light shone behind him; he turned. —Caught by Serena, red-handed.

And her Senshi. Serena's eyes were glued on the dead man's face as Luna and Sailor Mercury inspected the body and announced the fellow's demise.

Sailor Venus asked coldly, "What are you doing here, Demand?"

Demand, hoisting Zoicite's body over top of the bushes, then pushing it to let it drop out of sight, said, "I should ask you the same thing!" He wiped his hands and inspected his work before turning back to Serena. "It's not safe—"

"Lita's in trouble," Serena said, watery-eyed, then angrily pushed her way past him and into the building.

Demand caught up with her and grabbed her arm, aware that Darien had disappeared into the building, and wanting to buy him some time to complete his task. But Serena violently pushed him away and continued her march inside. He tried again, "Let *_us_* handle this, my love!"

Serena stopped then. "Who _WAS _that, Demand? Did YOU kill him?" Serena asked.

Demand grabbed her hand and said, "It's inadvisable for you to be out of bed! If your friend is here, she's in trouble. You should _let us handle it_."

Luna had continued on to the stairs though, and Serena turned and followed her.

Ami asked, "Who's '_us_'?", just as a scream was heard from below. And a sickening thud.

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Two levels down, Serena found another man —dead. His eye was hanging sickly out of his head, his face crushed. She stopped cold in the stairwell, started hyperventilating.

Demand grabbed her up as Sailors Mercury and Venus made their way past. He pushed her against the wall, feeling the heat of her sword at his hand, but ignoring it valiantly. "Let us handle this! Serena, you_ CAN'T_! They may have hurt your friend—!"

She crumpled in a sob, hysterical, begging Demand, "Your _KILLING _isn't helping, Demand!" She tried to push away from him; couldn't find the strength. Cried, "_Don't you see that? They hurt us; we hurt them back worse; they come back again — they take Lita! It's a neverending cycle!_" She suddenly collapsed in agony, Demand grabbing her as she fell, as she lost her transformation.

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Malachite's eyes widened, staring at his communicator.

"They're here, aren't they?" Lita asked, coughing up blood from Malachite's kicks. Her torturer had never let go of the idea that he could determine at what point near death the senshi transform, and use that information in his bid to kill Serena. He had told Lita they hadn't really had much time with Serena before she had transformed into _Indestructibo_; so it shouldn't take him long to determine at what point a senshi transformation took over.

Lita had confessed that they hadn't had much time with Serena's new transformation, either. She had lied about knowing what had caused Serena's change — if the lout couldn't figure out Serena was pregnant, ESPECIALLY when she was naked and had a crescent moon glowing on her belly, Lita wasn't going to be the one to tell him.

Malachite had seemingly calmed down for a while after that, talking to her about the Shitennou's plight. Mainly, that they didn't want other inferior powers ruling over the earth. She had then asked about Nephrite, and that had sent her torturer back into Evil Minion mode. Malachite had told her, while trying to kneecap her, that a love story from hell had ruined Endymion; he wouldn't lose Nephrite to a similar, watered-down repeat of the same.

Almost immediately after that, he had got this communiqué. Endymion was on the premises.

"Fine," Malachite said to himself. "I faced him earlier—" He picked up the sword, twirled it around, then down to Lita's chest. He said to her, "If you want to live through this night, I'd highly suggest you scream like a banshee on my mark." He pricked her skin: "Gotta make it look real!" and smiled coldly at her.

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Darien had mowed through two lookouts, men he didn't know or remember well. He crashed into the dark basement, looking for the next two. He was confused in the dark stillness.

And then he heard a blood-curdling scream. As Tuxedo Mask, he rushed through the enormous basement, knocking down everything in his way, no longer caring about stealth, if he ever had. He saw Malachite, let loose his rose into his chest and was over him instantly, pulling him up, twisting his head to kill him, and bashing it against the concrete wall for good measure. He saw Malachite's face crack satisfyingly, and his nemesis slumped to the ground.

Over Lita. "—_What the hell are you doing here?_" Tuxedo Mask exclaimed, instantly grabbing Malachite's body off Lita and tossing him to the side. Lita looked up at him fearfully, tried to answer, but coughed blood; her eyes went dim. Tuxedo Mask reached for the sword that Malachite had buried in her chest, then thought better of it. He crumpled, his anger and fury at Malachite suddenly gone, then called out, "Demand! _Demand,_ get in here _NOW_!"

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Demand fell with Serena, collapsing onto the ground as he held his hand against her now-open chest wound. It hadn't been open when Saphir had tried repairing her heart last night, but then she had transformed; they hadn't seen what had happened to her body after that. "_Serena!_" he yelled miserably. Hearing her raspy breathing, he blindly slapped a hand on her gaping back wound, then moved his fingers delicately over her wound, mentally stitching and healing the delicate lung tissue inside.  
"_Can't live without air,_" he mumbled.

Felt her dying. "_Transform_, damn you!" he yelled, setting her down on her back and holding both hands over her chest wound, maniacally repairing her broken chest cavity by disappearing the offending broken rib in its entirety. "_Maybe she won't need it,_" he rasped, then sealed the broken skin in her chest. He moved his fingers gingerly over her missing rib, trying to mentally detect the wound in her heart.

Screams rang out down the hall, but he remained in the stairwell, focused on finding the wound in Serena's heart. "I love you," he breathed. "And you will NOT die." He straddled her loosely, hyper-aware of her pregnancy, needing to get both hands nearer her heart. "Oh, you're going to be pissed about that rib," he laughed with a croaked voice, coming as close to crying as he ever had. Then, finally, yelling in anguish, he stuck both hands into her damaged aorta.

.

A screaming Sailor Venus stood over Lita, quickly pulling the sword out against Tuxedo Mask's rampant advice. Blood spurted, and Sailor Mercury instantly jumped onto Lita's gushing wound, pushing with both hands onto the wound to staunch the bleeding. "Darien, _GET HELP!_" Sailor Mercury screamed.

Luna had tried forcing Lita to transform into Sailor Jupiter, as that had saved Serena, ...but there was no response from Lita.

Artemis said, "She's got lung damage! —what IS it with the Shitennou and swords?" He was just as disturbed that his own charge had been the one to rip the sword free. Mina wasn't a ditz; she really wasn't a ditz. He kept telling himself that as he watched the rescue efforts, looking around for a first aid kit.

Sailor Mercury had dragged the screaming Sailor Venus down to help apply the pressure to Lita's wound; the she jumped up and grabbed Tuxedo Mask's phone and dialed 911. "_No signal!_" she shouted desperately, then took off out of the room.

Tuxedo Mask started helping a maniacal Sailor Venus apply pressure to Lita's wound; confused and anxious, trying to breath, he looked behind him and testily asked, "Where is Demand when you need him?"

Luna had found some padding, dragged it over to them to use on Lita's wound: "Serena should be here, too—"

Tuxedo Mask turned, face frozen in horror: "_She came with you?_ —Luna, there's still a fourth Shitennou out there!" He grabbed Sailor Venus' arm: "You stay with Lita—" and leaped over the carnage and out of the room.

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Sailor Mercury had gotten through to 911 and was telling them their location as she rounded the corner and came up on Demand, huddled over another body, who she finally recognized as Serena only by the hairstyle. She dropped the phone, ran to them crying, "_Serena?_"

"She's out," Demand said, eyes closed, focusing on her heart. "She lost her transformation."

Mercury grabbed Serena's hand fitfully, pushed it over her brooch. Serena transformed, sending a shock of energy into Demand, forcing his eyes wide open with pain and sending him flying off her body and into the wall. Serena's eyes opened; she LET GO and detransformed again. Demand was trying to stand up, push Sailor Mercury away, just as Tuxedo Mask bound around the corner.

Sailor Mercury screamed as Tuxedo Mask got there —she was one of the group who hadn't seen Serena's detransformed, beaten body. Tuxedo Mask stepped over the melee on the floor and grabbed Serena up, cuddling her close as he angrily asked, "_What the hell happened?_" And then, fighting tears, he started trying to rouse his ruined soulmate. "Serena!" he yelled, even shaking her as he did so.

"I tried forcing a transformation but she wouldn't stay.. —Demand was working on her, and he got electrocuted! HELP is on its way, Darien—!"

Demand fell to his knees, demanded, "_Put her back down!_" Eyes still closed, he mumbled, "She's bleeding out, Chiba." Ami helped the destroyed Tuxedo Mask set Serena back down gently.

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.

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Rei limped into the hospital. Ami had told her that both Serena and Lita had been admitted, but Ami hadn't told her about the number of police involved.

As she hobbled through the halls, she overheard snippets about the gruesome murders of three men and the brutal beatings of two women. She sighed relief that they didn't have any suspects. She saw Demand then, giving a statement to a few officers, and stifled a smile. It was too surreal seeing the futuristic, beautiful Greek god Demand giving a ~_statement_~ to the local Keystone Kops. She waved lightly; he blushed and waved back.

And yet she was thankful, deeply thankful, knowing that it was a miracle indeed that all of them had made it out of the last 24 hours with their lives. She walked into the room Ami had indicated, hobbled over to Darien and Luna. Serena's head was mega-bandaged, as was her right arm; she had monitors all over, sending out a constant, healthy-sounding heartbeat. Ami had told her that Rubeus finally showed up and intercepted the rescue effort before the ambulance arrived, healing her heart entirely; but the hospital had set and cast her broken arm, and admitted her due to the severe beating she'd gotten.

Darien didn't take his eyes off Serena, but said, quietly, "She'll be okay."

And Luna added, "So will the baby."

Rei nodded. "Why didn't she stay transformed?"

Darien was quiet, looked out the window into the black sky. Luna said, "We don't know. Maybe she was dying. Or maybe she had healed enough to live in this form."

Rei asked, "How's Lita?"

"Intensive care," Luna said. "Neither Demand or Rubeus made it to her. But Mina did a great job holding Lita together until help could get there."

Finally, Rei said, "The cops out there, they're talking about three murders."

Darien asked angrily without looking at her, "You'd have them live?"

Rei spat angrily, "I want to know where the fourth is."

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_LOSS_

Serena had been released from the hospital the next day, having healed her own injuries after regaining consciousness, but Lita had required several surgeries and time to heal. The girls held vigil in Lita's police-guarded hospital room, most particularly Serena and Rei who, like Lita, had also been injured that night. The hospital staff made connections between Rei's injuries and the two beatings from the dorms, but only Serena and Lita had to give statements to the police. While Lita could honestly claim she was headed home that night and was forcibly taken to the dorms, Serena had no such excuse for being there, and was hard-pressed to explain to anyone why she knew her friend was in trouble.

Darien had attempted to speak for Serena in that initial interview at the hospital, but the officers turned on him when they realized he wasn't a family member. The Tsukinos had stepped in quickly to speak for their daughter, and Mr. Tsukino quietly insisted that Darien return home at once —he'd known the police were looking for motive in these slayings, and that an older, protective boyfriend of a pregnant teenager would be a good patsy if they couldn't find the responsible party. And his daughter wasn't going to suffer any more pain if he could help it.

Kenji Tsukino then firmly explained to the police that Darien was a distant relative residing with them temporarily, and had come WITH the Tsukinos to the hospital; at no time had Darien been out of their sight. While that didn't exactly square with what the police had assumed, the conversation turned as Papa had expected — the police wanted to know who the father of Serena's baby was. Serena nearly died in embarrassment as her parents explained some little boy at school had been the biological father, but was himself too young to assume responsibility, and was not part of Serena's life now. Then Papa explained that Lita had called Serena from the dorms, and Serena had slipped out against their wishes to go help her friend, none of them expecting that the 'trouble' was more than typical boyfriend issues.

The police left Serena alone after she was discharged from the hospital, except to clear up one little niggling detail that didn't quite line up with Serena's story — Lita had claimed that one of the boys involved was her actual boyfriend, who unbeknownst to Lita had disappeared. Lita had asked the police about this _Nephrite's_ welfare. Serena had been startled by that revelation, and insisted to the police that no, Nephrite was NOT anyone they'd known before that day, and Lita must be very confused.

.

.

After that, Rei and Serena learned that Lita was injured in a far more personal way than her sword wound. When Serena had finally gotten a chance to slip in and heal Lita without half the hospital watching, Lita's condition improved a lot. But the first thing Lita had asked about was the fate of her attackers, and Rei had told her all but one died. Lita looked anxious and upset, until Serena told her the name of the one who got away, and then Lita had burst into tears, laughing and crying maniacally, scaring both Rei and Serena with her mania. Then Lita claimed that Nephrite was mostly innocent — he'd helped take her, but they'd gotten to talk, and Nephrite had ultimately tried to help her. That the reason he hadn't been at the dorms was because Malachite had sent him away. She glowingly informed them that she and Nephrite had a connection; she wasn't sure what she would have done had she lost Nephrite that night.

Serena had been stunned silent, but Rei recovered quickly, and deadpanned, "Lita, Nephrite's one of the Shitennou who attacked us all in the park. What they did to you and Serena.. to me—!"

"_Nephrite _hurt Serena?" Lita railed, surprised. "_No, _Rei! Serena and I were both run through by a _sword_; _YOU _said it was Malachite who attacked her. It was Malachite who hurt me; Nephrite is innocent in this!"

Rei shot a worried glare at Serena, then looked back at Lita. "Lita, all four of the Shitennou were watching us for weeks, waiting for a chance to attack. They're ALL responsible for what's happened."

Lita argued, "Only Malachite tried to strong arm me, Rei! He didn't even use lethal force until Tuxedo Mask burst in, and that was —that was sort of an _accident_!"

Serena noticeably blanched. Had to sit. Sat. Rei turned away from Lita, glowering, angry. Wondering if this was some kind of prisoner's syndrome...

Lita reiterated, more calmly now, "Malachite _threatened _me, Rei, but all he really wanted was information. I promise! —He wanted to know how Serena was so strong, and what kind of deal we'd worked out with the Black Moon Clan—"

Rei turned angrily on Lita, "I hope you didn't tell them anything!"

Serena interjected, calmly, to Rei, "She was kidnapped, Rei. Maybe we should give her some time."

Lita reasoned, "I didn't have anything _TO _tell them, Rei!"

Rei asked, "Did you tell them her pregnancy might be responsible—?"

Lita said, "_Of course not!_ I wouldn't do that!" Biting her lip, she looked over at Serena, "Nephrite wanted the others to let me go." Her eyes filled with tears: "He was going to meet me at home later, make sure I was okay!" She bit back tears, "Darien came in —Tuxedo Mask. And Serena, he killed Malachite from across the room; Malachite didn't even have a _chance _to do the right thing!" It had all gone so terribly, terribly wrong.

Rei shot up and growled: "Malachite had a _SWORD _to your chest, Lita! He was hunting down the people who _HURT _us! What, did you expect them to talk it out or something?"

Lita closed her eyes and turned her head, refusing to hear Rei.

But Rei continued, "Where's Nephrite *_now_*?"

Lita shook her head. "Why? So you could _slaughter _him, too?"

Serena got upset; she couldn't stand it, left the room. Rei stormed out after her immediately, stamping out and grabbing Serena's arm without slowing. As they left the building, Rei furiously stated that Lita wanted to forgive Nephrite. And then she turned on Serena, asked how she ever defended Demand! "—_That's_ going to come back to haunt us," Rei said.

Serena said, "Rei, Demand _HELPED _us! The situations are completely different! _YOU _worked with Demand a few nights ago!" Then at Rei's harsh look, Serena bit her lip. "Demand never wanted my death, Rei. He fought for my life." She breathed deeply. "And I wasn't in love with him."

"Lita's not in _love_!" Rei said. "Lita's _infatuated_. AGAIN! —Maybe unable to accept that she got herself in trouble so easily."

Serena said softly, "What if it's mutual. She said—"

Rei spat out, "Nephrite doesn't _KNOW _her! He can't _LOVE _her! They have no HISTORY like you and Demand had. —You need to jerk your head out of the clouds and help us find that monster before he strikes again! _LITA WILL GET OVER IT!_"

.

.

.

**O - O \ / O \/ O - O****  
****\/ \/**

_._

**THE LAST DAY**

Serena was walking through the park with purpose, a studied grimness to her face. She'd just left Ami's house, where Rubeus and Saphir had visited with news of a breakthrough. Both Black Moon brothers had been happy to see her looking 'healthy' again.

For herself, she couldn't remember much at all about that dark day last month, when more than half of her Senshi squad had been nearly wiped out, the exceptions being Mina and Ami, and even they hadn't come through unscathed. Both of them worked feverishly with the Black Moon's locators to 'find' everyone they had released from the Negaverse. Most of them had been comically easy to find, having had no alliances with BERYL or memories of the Silver Millennium, and therefore no associations with the Shitennou, and therefore no ability to hide themselves.

And of the ones they'd located, the Senshi helped in what little way they could, even if that was merely a meager explanation that the future Neo-Queen Serenity hadn't been aware of their exiles until recently, and they were free now to do as they pleased.

But Darien and Demand somehow always got to interview each of the exiles first. Serena cringed, looking even now for the Creepy Duo, as she'd secretly dubbed them. 'Secretly,' because they were 'secretly' working together; 'secretly' meeting whenever someone found a former Negaverse dweller. It's not like they ever directly lied to her, of course. They were just very, very covert.

Darien had taken to protecting Serena at all times, albeit trying to not make it obvious. He worked overtime, she knew, to maintain a sense of normalcy, including surprising her last week with a continuation of her training in her Neo-Queen transformation, as Demand had dubbed it. But she knew Darien also worked overtime to hunt Nephrite down. His reasons, she understood. His goals, she didn't. And his goals weren't open to discussion.

Serena had originally guessed that the Black Moon brothers had done the actual murders of the Shitennou who had kidnapped and tortured Lita. She never saw Darien at the dorms, only Demand and Rubeus. It had made some kind of weird sense to her that Demand was there with his brothers, exacting revenge, maybe thinking they were cleaning up their own mess.

But then Papa had provided Darien with an alibi, which set her senses on alert, reminding her that she hadn't been able to find Darien that night at the Temple. He'd left Rei in bed with her and ..._disappeared_.

Then after she'd been released from the hospital, Darien told her himself that he'd brought about the three Shitennou deaths single-handedly, and without even knowing that Lita was in danger. Serena had been terribly upset, but given what had happened to Lita and Rei, and herself, she'd set it aside.

Then she and Rei had visited Lita, and learned that Lita was crushing hard on Nephrite.

When she'd tried to bring up the Shitennou deaths with Darien the following week, before what promised to be some particularly vigorous lovemaking, Darien had turned on her angrily, even bragging to her how satisfying it had been to crush the skulls of each one of them; and how he looked forward to causing Nephrite's demise in much the same way. His apparent bloodlust had so thoroughly disgusted her that, try though she might, she couldn't bring herself to make love to him. He'd left for a walk, and when he returned, he'd camped out on his sofa without saying goodnight to her. Which, that night, was fine with her. She just prayed that he hadn't gone out on a _killing spree_ in that short hour-long 'walk'.

And now she'd come to accept it; Darien had killed people, albeit people who probably deserved it. She hated, _HATED_, that when they set out to kill the Shitennou, they didn't even do so to protect Lita; they did so out of revenge. Or, as Darien would argue, as a 'preemptive strike'. Darien had clearly taken a larger responsibility upon himself for the Shitennou, and, knowing that he was destined to rule one day, Serena had opted to keep quiet and support him as best she could. Maybe do a little 'preemptive healing' so he wouldn't find it necessary to kill a so-called 'enemy of the state', like Nephrite. —if only she could discern how to 'heal', or purify, someone in her new transformation. So far, all she knew how to do was hold her sword without killing herself.

But something new was bothering her now, something that Rubeus had just rubbed in her face with glee. Demand hadn't abandoned his brothers because he was besotted with Serena, but because he'd '_sworn_' himself to Darien. A concept Serena hadn't been able to grasp — she'd asked Ami if it was like the Senshi vow, and Ami told her it was like that, except vowing to a person instead of a ideal like 'love and justice'. Demand had sworn to Darien the way the Shitennou of the Silver Millennium had to Endymion, Metallia, and Beryl.

And Rubeus had told her how hard Endymion had historically been. "_Why do you think Demand thought he had a chance with you at all, Young Queen?_" he smiled. "_Endymion was ..how would you say it? '_Firm_?' Demand went to face him down, he met you, and you were everything the history books said, not some harsh ugly old minster with a good PR team! —Demand didn't believe that the cold, harsh Endymion could possibly satisfy someone as alive and 'passionate' as you!_"

"Darien's not cold," she had responded to Rubeus, not an hour ago. "He's a warm, loving man; he'll be a wonderful father! A doctor!"

Rubeus had argued, "_And quite an efficient killer, judging by the shape his Shitennou were in last month. Where is your 'Darien', loving father, now?_"

Rubeus had laughed, but Saphir admonished the red-headed man to not start another battle with Endymion.

But the conversation had shaken Serena up. She promised herself that when she got to the future, if the chance presented itself, she would study the future Endymion and see first-hand what he was like. Not that she'd ever leave Darien either way, but maybe there would still be time for her to soften his vengefulness, even recapture him into the battle for love and justice.

Serena's breath caught as she rounded a bend outside the park — the clearing where Darien had taken her last month, the day of the Shitennou attack, to work on her transformation. He didn't use that place with her anymore, but he was there with Demand.. and surprisingly, with Mina and Artemis.

She stepped into the clearing without hesitation, unsmiling. "Demand," she said, but staring at Darien. "You're needed at Ami's."

"Excuse me?" Demand said with a slight smile, surprised as the rest of them to see Serena there.

"Your brothers are back," she said coldly. "We're ready." She turned to him slightly; smiled. "They need to see you."

Demand straightened his jacket, excused himself quickly, and walked towards Serena. Bowed slightly, which usually infuriated her, but not as much as the meeting she'd happened upon. The sight just struck her as too close to Rubeus' description of the future Endymion.

She grabbed Demand's wrist as he thanked her, then turned to leave with him. "_We've gotta talk._" she stated conspiratorially as she quickly escorted him out of the clearing, then whispered sternly, "_Don't look back._"

Darien called after them, but Serena walked more quickly, holding Demand's arm, even pulling him along. She whispered to the tall man, "Do you still love me, Demand?"

Demand looked at her as they walked; she glared at him. Staring ahead as she ushered him along, he said, "Unrequited, as always, Serena." Then, he whispered furiously, "We're just trying to protect you. You weren't awake for most of that day; you don't know what they did to you!"

She squeezed his hand tightly, turned again: "_You _don't know what they did either because they all _DIED _before you could find out anything!" Beat. "And don't you think I can take care of myself?"

"I KNOW you can't," Demand said angrily. "I was THERE, my love," he added. "You've asked me of this before; my answer's the same." He would not try to steer Darien Chiba away from Nephrite.

"You're _bonded _to Darien," she spat out, then stopped him, spun him to face her: "Have you forgotten your purpose here, Demand?" She pointed above the encroaching Darien, meaning it as a nod towards space. "_NEMESIS_? Freeing your people? Helping ME free your people? You can't let this VENDETTA continue!"

Darien and Mina arrived promptly, with Artemis disappearing into the park. Serena held her hands up to them: "I know, you were just hanging out."

Demand looked at Darien, who nodded, then he bowed slightly at Serena again and smiled. As he turned to leave, he heard her frustrated exclamation: "What, does he need your PERMISSION to go places?"

Darien reached her and faced her down: "We need to talk, Serena." His anger was apparent. "Alone."

Serena instead looked at Mina: "You're with them now," she stated rather than questioned.

Mina bristled: "Them? Serena, we're all on the same team!"

"I don't recall getting the MEMO to come here today!" Serena shot back.

Mina blushed, but said, "I'm still the leader of the Senshi, Serena; it's my _JOB _to find Nephrite! He's the most dangerous enemy we've got."

"He hasn't attacked anyone in a month!" Serena said. "We have no idea what we'll be facing in the future; yet you're chasing a little youma-throwing mortal with a fancy knife."

"Who wants YOU dead," Darien said, as if for the hundredth time.

"And the rest of us, too!" Mina added. "That _fancy knife_ of his nearly got you and Lita _KILLED_!"

"Yeah well I think MY fancy knife could handle his just fine—" Serena spat back.

Darien blustered, "Demand says he has the Dark Matter Sword, Serena, not the simple blade Malachite was using—"

"'_Demand says, Demand says_'," Serena mimicked. "A month ago you wanted Demand's _blood_. —Who knows, Darien! Maybe in another month Nephrite will be your top general, against the _NEXT _big bad!"

Mina backed off, hands in the air: "That was a low blow, Serena. Demand's come a long way in the last month!"

"No, Mina," Serena said. "_YOU'VE_ come a long way in your understanding of Demand; HE'S been pretty much the same for CENTURIES! He wasn't the bad guy you thought he was."

"Oh please," Darien blustered, "Nephrite's nothing like Demand!" Darien bristled at her comparison of Nephrite to Demand. Held a finger up. "The Shitennou have been out to kill you since the Silver Millennium! They almost succeeded! —and look at Lita, who almost DIED on the operating table!" He grabbed Serena's arm, "She didn't have your _special transformation _to keep her alive, Serena - she _SUFFERED_. Because Malachite was a sadistic killer!"

Serena was about to defend Nephrite, but swallowed the words. She blinked; looked away.

Darien said, "He's Beryl's Shitennou, Serena." Releasing her arm, he added, "If nothing else, he dies for _watching _the other three hurt you."

"It consumes you!" Serena said. But then, taking a deep breath, she purposefully changed the subject. "Rubeus and Saphir are back. I believe they're ready to go."

Mina, still standing apart from the battling duo, interjected awkwardly, "I'm not sure it makes sense to abandon this time to Nephrite, to help people in the future who may not be in immediate danger."

Serena's eyes flew open wide, and she glared at Darien. "I've got a duty to those people, Darien!"

Darien, not liking the way this rendezvous had gone so far, opted to try a different tactic. He cupped Serena's face in his hand and said softly, "We've all got a duty here first, Serena. I —I couldn't live with myself if I let you make the mistake of leaving Nephrite to his own devices here."

Mina, approaching Serena carefully, added, "We were just discussing that if any of us could find Nephrite, YOU could!" She shut up awkwardly as Darien stared her quiet.

Serena turned to Darien slowly. "I was the subject of your meeting?"

Darien sighed. "Serena, Nephrite's completely hidden. And he knows our plans to go help the Black Moon family, and who knows what else Lita told him! It would be entirely irresponsible of us, as guardians, to leave someone like Nephrite alone while we go off on a journey that may not help anyone!"

Serena shook her head. But she said, "Okay," and looked up at him with slight trepidation. "I don't know how you think I could help find him, but I'll try."

Mina shrieked, "_REALLY?_" Then, "See, Darien! I told you she'd do it!"

Darien nodded firmly at the bubbly Mina, mentally dismissing her.

Serena added quickly, "But then we go to Nemesis, Darien."

Darien took Serena's arm and led her away from Mina. After they were alone, walking, he told Serena quietly "_Thank you._"

They walked in silence for a while. Serena remembered how just a month ago, Darien hadn't been able to keep his hands off of her. Contrasted with now, when he was walking stiffly beside her, holding her gently by the crook of her arm. She bit her lip sadly, then said, "Sorry I interrupted your meeting, Darien."

Darien said, "Don't be silly, Serena. It wasn't exactly a meeting — they just met me after my class. Demand thought he had something on a group of sisters that had been associated with one of the Shitennou." Beat. "Turned out he didn't."

Serena nodded. Whatever. "I feel like I'm losing you, Darien."

Darien, thoughts obviously elsewhere, turned to look at her. "What?"

She took a deep breath. Looked straight ahead. "I'll be starting high school later this month. And —and then I'm due in December, right when I'm supposed to be taking midterms." She breathed out, trying not to feel completely overwhelmed. This was not how she'd expected her summer to go, and it was almost over. Life was speeding away from her, and Darien and her friends weren't even acting like .._Darien and her friends_. Serena shook the thoughts from her head. Said, "A month ago, you couldn't keep your hands off of me." She shrugged. "You were so _happy_, then! I remember walking through this same park with you last month, making out with you, and ...I guess I just thought that was how the rest of the summer would be! But now—"

"A month ago," Darien interrupted, "you were taken from me and brutally beaten." It still haunted him to envision those horrible moments — youma stealing her away in the bright of day; seeing her detransform at Rei's later that night; trying to stop her from transforming while Demand and Saphir worked on her. The moments after he'd put down the Shitennou, when he found Serena in the dorms, dying.

He choked out, "_I almost lost YOU_." Embarrassed, he cleared his throat, continued walking. "Demand told me that the future wasn't guaranteed now, because you'd already done your job in the parallel timeline. —And that should be enough, Serena, but it's not. Not for you, because you want to help those who were exiled. And sure as hell not for me, because I don't have memories of living a happy life with you. Had you died, I'd have nothing." He blindly moved his hand down her arm to grasp her hand; grasped it so hard that he felt her wince. "I asked Demand for his help that night, Serena." His eyes watered. "I asked a man who openly lusts after you, to help me rid the world of the Shitennou, so no harm could—."

Serena stopped him, pushed him to sit onto a nearby low wall, and hugged him tightly. Felt his tears in her hair, and kissed his neck, never letting go. Then she asked, "Do you still love me?"

Darien pushed her up slightly, looked at her. Smiled. "I'm going to make you a new world," he said. "You're ..so _young_, and so innocent. You have seen things, but you can't understand the type of person, like Nephrite, who _wants _to see suffering and death." He rubbed her tiny face with his hand. "I should have remembered Malachite myself; I saw him every day in a former life; I saw him for weeks as my TA. And *_he_* was the one who hurt you, Serena." Darien swallowed. Pleaded, "Don't you see that? Can't you see that if we don't get rid of Nephrite now, he could threaten us even more in the near future—?"

"_Don't!_" Serena begged, smiling. Nearing tears herself. "Believe me, I _know _that Nephrite poses a real danger. —But I'm worried about _you_!"

Darien shook his head, leaning into her hand, kissing it: "I know you think the worst of me for killing the Shitennou. But Serena, there are just times, to protect innocent people, that some people _HAVE _to die." He grasped her hand to his mouth; kissed it.

Serena stared at him. "Okay. How did you think I could find Nephrite?"

Darien looked at her simply. "I was hoping you could detect his evil in your Neo-Queen transformation. Demand said it was such a pure form, your most powerful—"

"I didn't detect anything the last time I transformed," she said thoughtfully, stamping out the idea that Darien had resumed her training just to use her as a living Nephrite detector. She would not be given to paranoia. Like the rest of the group. She bit her lip. "Sometimes, though, I think I have these ..'_abilities_'. Just as me. Serena. —It's nothing huge," she corrected as she saw his expression change. "I'm not sure it's even real!" Here goes, she thought to herself. "I noticed it first when I told you I was pregnant, and I was .._angry_, about all the lies. When Rei tried to grab me, I —I'm pretty sure I envisioned her brooch being ripped from her throat, right before it happened."

She turned to sit beside Darien. Slowly, she added, "I'm not sure if I foresaw it, or somehow wished it on her."

"You were angry," Darien said, "but you wouldn't have done that."

"I was pretty upset with Rei, Darien. I knew she was lying, and I felt very threatened. —And there have been other times," she explained, carefully. "Oh, this sounds _insane_..." Voicing these thoughts for the first time made her deeply ashamed at how she took mere coincidences for some kind of new 'power'! But how else could she explain to Darien what she thought she knew about Nephrite? She questioned if she should tell him at all.

Darien recalled the time she'd seemed to close his airway with a mere look, although that was also on that day that they'd learned she was pregnant. He looked at her anew; had she really done that on purpose? Then he wondered, "Serena, why are you telling me this?"

Serena looked at him. "Maybe I shouldn't be," she said, sadly. "You need to know that I'm very, VERY unsure of these .._abilities_." She looked away, ashamed. "I never INTEND to —force my will on someone, or order one Luna or Artemis to do something." She shivered. "Anyway, I've had a few, '_thoughts_' —not like visions or warnings. Just, these flashes. And I think they're the same as the other '_abilities_'. But I'm not sure—"

Darien looked at her, understanding now. "You know where Nephrite is."

Ç

Serena stared at him. "No!" she cleared up quickly. Followed by, "I'm not sure." She looked away, swallowing. Finally, she said, "It's possible," and looked at him again. "But Darien if these 'visions' turn out to be real, and not something I've just imagined, then we've got a huge problem."

Darien waited, wearing patience like a prom queen wears a crown. He even managed a smile.

Serena winced, "I'd be betraying a friend, Darien, the way Rei betrayed me, and I'm not even SURE it's true."

Darien's mind worked frantically, wondering if she counted Rubeus or Saphir a friend. Calmly, and possibly deceitfully, he prompted, "You're not even sure your 'ability' is real. So of course we couldn't act on your ..information, like it was iron-clad evidence."

Serena nodded. "Please, don't. Because I'm NOT sure. Although I've been poking around on my own, looking—" She saw anger flare in his eyes; quickly added. "_Safely!_ Of course safely! From far away! _VERY _far!" She peeked at him; he didn't believe her. She breathed hard. Gave it up. "Okay, I looked for him on my own—"

"Serena!" Darien snapped, feeling ready to slap her down physically. Reached for a calming thought. Missed it. Glared at her: "Dammit you promised me—!"

"I didn't FIND him!" she huffed. "Like I said, it was a .._thought_. A few thoughts." She looked at his furious face, stared him down.

Darien blustered, "A FEW?"" Angrily, he stood up and turned away from her, blustered to the wind, "...next she'll be telling me they had tea the other day!"

Serena said, "Darien —I got an image in my mind of Nephrite last week. I knew it was him. And that was all, really." Darien turned back around, interested again. Serena blanched, "—Then I got an image of him making out with Lita."

Darien's face screwed up; he turned away again, confused. Angry. Walked away, paced. Came back to her quickly: "He's the one who kidnapped her!"

Serena nodded, "I know! And she had told me that she kissed him before he kidnapped her! I wondered if I was just imagining _that_!" She shrugged. "But the 'thought', it came out of nowhere. And so I ..I visited her at her house. LATER, not immediately-"

"You should have told ME immediately," he said, trying to maintain control of his anger. "You've had some kind of weird link with the Senshi for a long time, Serena! That's how you knew she was in danger that night!"

"These 'thoughts' are different, Darien," she answered. "I don't know what they mean! ...And if I'd told you and we'd accused her, there'd be hurt feelings all around."

Darien said, "When you said that Nephrite might be my general next month, you were... what? Having a premonition, or just trying to piss me off?"

"I don't get premonitions like that, Darien!" Serena jumped up as well. She added. "And I don't do things to upset you intentionally." That happens without trying, she glowered.

Darien chuckled darkly, obviously not believing that.

Serena said, "I don't like this guy, Darien." Her eyes widened, darted at him. "—but if my '_thought_' is right, Lita does. In fact, she thinks she's in love with him. ...And I guess I was just afraid that we'd have to bring him into the fold, for Lita's sake. But I don't trust him—"

"Oh my God!" Darien said, turning away from her at her admission that Lita was in love with Nephrite. Standing in fury. "You went to her HOUSE, to FIND him?"

"To find EVIDENCE of him," Serena corrected, loudly. "When I was sure he wasn't there."

"And?" he asked, turning back to her.

"Uh, Lita acted pretty strange," she said, eyes downcast. "I tried to get into her bedroom to see the bed, which is where they were making out—"

"He's FUCKING her?" Darien spat out, shocked. "Oh this is _unbelievable_!"

Serena's jaw dropped at his bluntness. She put a hand up: "Darien, I'm not sure of anything! I don't know how much stock to put into these thoughts—!"

"I _do_!" he barked back, seriously disturbed by this news, but suddenly recognizing just how young Serena was, not just in her surprise that a bedroom meant sex, but in her whole visage just now. He cupped her face in apology; and immediately saw their age difference again. In the harsh light of day, her skin was young, even childlike. He stared at her as he rubbed her cheek with his thumb, noticing a spray of freckles from the summer sun on her pink skin. The skin of his hand was far more mature; to see just his hand on her face was like seeing a father touching his daughter's face. But this child was soon to be his bride, and indeed was already carrying his baby. Obviously carrying his baby, now. He wondered, for an instant, if she ever still thought of him as creepy. She used to call him that all the time.

Serena, nervous under his touch, asked, "What's wrong, Darien?"

Broken out of his reverie, he let go of her face, and tenderly said, "Serena, you've been able to transform without a ritual since ..since probably the day we got pregnant. Months. I'd write a check on your 'abilities'." Smiling softly at her, he sat back down and pulled her down to him, closely. "Which probably means the worst," he finished somberly. He pulled her tightly, kissed her head. "I've got to contact Demand, either way. We need to finish this."

"Please, Darien," Serena begged, holding him tightly, "You can just burst into her home and .._take him_! Not without telling Lita first!"

Darien cringed at her stupidity. Irritated, but trying to cover it, he said, "If any of this is true, Serena, it means Lita has knowingly endangered us all! HIDDEN him from us! She's WITH him. She's a traitor—!"

"She's just in love, Darien!" Serena countered, sitting up away from him. "With Mr. All-Kinds-Of-Wrong, but that doesn't mean she's like ..like _BERYL _or someone! She's our friend!"

"Her first duty is to you!" Darien countered back firmly. Wagged a finger at her, standing. "You get a pass this time; you weren't sure, new abilities. I get that. And it's potentially scandalous since Lita's involved. But Serena, we've ALL been looking for him!"

"I know!" she said, miserably. "That's why I came out to find you. I'd already decided to tell you before Saphir and Rubeus showed up. I just want us to be more sure before blowing the whistle!" She looked up.

Darien stared at her darkly for a long moment, then pulled her up into his arms. Kissed her gently on her mouth. "I love you," he said, kissing her again. Putting his hands on her face, he added, "You drive me insane sometimes. But I love you."

Serena smiled widely at him, hugging him against her protruding baby bump. She gleamed when he ran his hands down to her belly, knowing exactly what that did to him. She put her hands on his chest, smiled. "I love you too," she beamed. "Want to go home for a little while?"

His eyes grew darker; he opened his mouth onto hers, wanting to give in to her desires, but knowing they couldn't. "We can go home after we have a talk with Lita."

.

Unbeknownst to Serena, Darien had alerted Demand as they walked to his car. And then after getting Serena into the car, he communicated the rest of the message as he walked around the car and opened the trunk to toss in his school books.

Darien first drove Serena to her own home, where he made her go in and get her cat. He'd told her, "You HAVE to inform Luna, if not Mina." And while she went in to get Luna, he called Demand back. Demand was an excellent soldier, Darien had found. He'd already informed Rubeus and Saphir, and the three were surrounding Lita's house now. They had not detected the stolen dark matter sword yet; but were actively looking for signs that Nephrite had been there.

Demand added quickly, "Ah, Rubeus is holding up a medallion from the Negaverse. I believe that's Lita's bedroom from which he's hanging. Proof enough for me. We find him, we still strike hard?"

"Absolutely," Darien said, hanging up quickly as the door swung open. Luna screeched getting in, followed by Serena.

Luna squealed, "You _TELL _me these things, Serena! You don't _LET IT GO_ for several _MONTHS _when we haven't had a chance to investigate it." Without taking a breath, "Mr. Chiba I hope you've thoroughly berated Serena for—"

"We're about to catch Nephrite, cat. Sit back and enjoy the ride," Darien said, speeding off.

.

.

.

_THE STARS THEY DO COUNSEL_

Nephrite lounged in his large, mid-town manor he'd accomplished by selling some trinkets from impossible universes, most especially things he'd scavenged from the Black Moon Clan's ship from the future. He'd been able to set up a nice set of star charts in this manor's lower emporium, and remotely control a mountain-top telescope from a computer in the emporium, thereby giving him access to all the information he'd ever need to accomplish his goals.

Goals which were the same now as they'd always been, as long as he could remember. Which was a long time indeed; centuries.

As his fallen comrades had learned the hard way, if you want to beat a star, you should consult the stars. The stars had pointed him to Lita, and before that had forewarned him of trouble in the park in trying to bind such a one as Serena. If only Malachite had listened to him that day, Serena might be a memory now, and the future would belong to the Earth Kingdom.

And if, for some strange reason, Darien Chiba was unable to go on due to his lost Moon Princess, then he could step aside and let Nephrite take the reins. Who knew, he thought —maybe Lita could be his queen, if he could ever disentangle her from the Moon Princess' control. It was too soon yet, he knew, to make that kind of move with Lita; the girl was definitely on the fence regarding her loyalties. And she'd shown no such propensity for love of crown jewels and servants as had that hot Black Moon princess, Emerald.

But, he knew women. He knew the loyal Lita would slowly begin to enjoy having powers and riches beyond the telling. And with her innate power which hadn't yet come to fruition, he knew she'd make a wonderful mate and co-regent over the forthcoming Earth Kingdom.

It was funny, he chuckled, that to attain a powerful Earth Kingdom, he'd have to stamp out the Senshi, of which Lita was one.

He watched as three stars started coming into alliance, knowing that should make for a very interesting day, indeed. No, he had no clue what exactly might happen, but he knew it was time to unbury the hilt of the Black Moon weapon he'd snatched from Demand. He smiled at it as the hilt grew its powerful sword when grasped by his hand. Miss Serena wasn't the only one bonded to a blade, he gleamed.

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_THE STING_

Lita rounded on the intruders. Particularly Serena. "You didn't like Rei going through YOUR mind! How DARE you do the same to me!"

Darien was busily going through her house, called out, "Answer the question, Lita. Where is he?"

Serena was dumbfounded that Darien was being so openly rude, treating Lita like a criminal. She answered the furious Lita calmly, "I didn't go through your mind, Lita. It came to me. I was worried about you."

Lita glared at Serena, then at Darien as he turned her closet inside out. "_Stop him,_" she whispered furiously.

Luna turned on Lita: "Just sit down and shut up. We've got work to do."

"Darien," Serena called out, looking at Lita, "please don't do this! He's not here."

Demand stepped through the door suddenly; Lita screamed, and Serena turned. And transformed. Demand's thoughts were momentarily taken by the Neo-Queen transformation, but saw Darien rush him and his prey quickly thereafter.

Demand had tracked Nephrite from Lita's house, and found him in a grand mansion in the center of the city. Deep within the corridors of what looked to be a space observatory. Napping. With glee he laid his hands on his prize, and dragged him back to Lita's, gleaming with pride. Thanks to Serena's vision, and his tracking abilities, and Darien's quick thinking, they had finally caught their prey.

The moment Serena flashed white, Darien turned and saw Nephrite. Memories came flooding back through him like never before; even as he alighted on Nephrite, he recalled the Shitennou's very first betrayal of his rule. Darien grabbed Nephrite and dragged him into Lita's living room, ignoring Lita's pounding fists on his back. He didn't draw weapons; he wouldn't need them. He'd only need to be out of the public eye, which he now was. He had Nephrite pinned to the floor with his knee, ready to render judgment, when he first saw, then felt, Serena's sword blast him backwards, into the wall, hard enough to crack the wall and bring down a shelf with its requisite vases and plants.

Darien stared up at Serena as he got his wind back; he saw her shocked horror at her own actions —her sword's actions, maybe, seconds before she lunged angrily at Nephrite.

But she'd lunged only to parry Demand's knife, which had been thrown instantly to Nephrite's neck. Now Sailor Jupiter threatened Demand; and Serena leaped over Nephrite's body and parried Jupiter's thunder attack away from Demand and into the Senshi's own kitchen.

Darien was up as the parried Thunder Blast completely blew out the Senshi's kitchen, leaving a stunning hole in the living room that would surely attract the attention of the neighborhood; he noticed that Serena had spun on Jupiter, white sword pointing at her own Senshi.

Nephrite, from beneath her, pulled something out of his pocket, and it transformed into the dark matter sword. Sailor Jupiter screamed; Serena's sword parried the intended death blow from the dark matter sword, but ended up pinned against the living room ceiling, both hands pushing down wrathfully against Nephrite's blade as he stood under it, pushing up against her's.

"_Oh shit,_" Demand freaked, grabbing Darien and pushing them both out through the new opening in the house.

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* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ **M O O N *** ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

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Darien shoved off of Demand and ran back in, just as Serena spun out of Nephrite's attack and into a ceiling fan, chopping each blade and sending them hurtling like dangerous daggers throughout the room.

Serena fell to the floor and turned; her sword took off powerfully at Nephrite, who agilely dodged Serena's stabbing jab, and whose powerful sword flipped her, sending Serena's feet to the ceiling again, where she 'stood' and quickly slashed down on Nephrite.

Nephrite fell to his knees holding his sword against the white sword's blast, but felt the white sword gaining power. This time, Nephrite rolled away and turned, quickly slicing up at Serena's face as she fell, only to be blocked again by the sharply jarring blow of the white sword, which sent him rolling towards the quickly approaching Tuxedo Mask.

Serena landed and regained her composure; looked up to see Tuxedo Mask leaping through the air at Nephrite. She jumped into a final attack position to attack Nephrite, but the Shitennou had already started swinging that evil sword roundhouse at his former king, face gleaming with malice. Screaming in an instant that she knew might annihilate her beloved out of time forever, she THREW her sword faster than time allowed, and it went tumbling end over end through the air, impossibly reversing the advance of Nephrite's sword.

In that moment, her sword 'captured' the dark matter sword, light flashed impossibly bright through the house, Sailor Jupiter screamed, and her whole house blew apart powerfully.

φ

Serena came to moments later, across the street, in someone else's living room, amid screams of horror and repulsion.

She moved to get up and felt her body pull sharply to the left. Her hand had grown the white sword back, to her dismay. She knew she'd never be rid of the thing, but silently thanked God for its burden as she leaped up and tried to run back to Lita's. She got twisted up in the drapes she'd blown through, and tried to jerk them off, apologizing profusely to the lady of the house. That's when she realized that it wasn't the neighbor's drapes on her body. "_A dress!_" she said, inwardly thrilled with the long, voluminous layers of silks that hung down to her well-heeled feet. "_And the shoes!_" she exclaimed, lifting her foot to see the most glorious white pumps she'd ever seen.

The neighbor family was stunned quiet for a moment. They were all staring outside now, though, and not at Serena; their little boy looked through the hole in their living room and said, "Wow!"

Serena looked as well, then saw what the boy was startled by — there _was_ no Lita's house anymore. Serena kicked a broken endtable off the train of her dress, then DARTED into the air above Lita's destroyed house, wings pumping mightily for speed, looking for her loved ones amid the destruction.

From high up in the air, she saw Tuxedo Mask standing in a tree, looking into the destruction as well. Instantly she flew to him; met him mid-air between the houses. He held her hand and was momentarily shocked to realize why she was brighter now than just moments ago. "Your Silver Crystal's back!" As Serena bent her head to see that the crystal from the future was replaced by her original Silver Crystal, Tuxedo Mask tilted her head up and exclaimed, "_You're okay!_", then pulled her into a powerful embrace. Still holding her, he whispered desperately, "What the hell _was _that?"

Tuxedo Mask landed them softly on the ground, kissing her lightly as rescue vehicles arrived en masse. She was overcome with emotion as Luna came screaming, "Youma! Serena, call the Senshi!"

Serena slapped her hand to her wrist, forgetting her communicator wasn't on her in this form, and definitely hurting herself with her sword as it bounced off her thigh from the sudden movement.

Tuxedo Mask turned to Demand, who as usual popped up conveniently behind the man like a damned ghost. Demand nodded and took off as Tuxedo Mask took Serena's hand: "Let's do this!"

Serena held him a moment longer, hesitating. He turned back to her, questioning silently. She reached forward and kissed him again, said, "I love you, Darien Chiba," and took off, leaving Tuxedo Mask standing there, stunned. Desperation began to take him as Luna shrieked at him to help Serena.

Serena darted towards the first youma, a large menacing green thing that she sliced easily with her sword as she hunted for Sailor Jupiter among the rubble. With her peripheral vision she saw Tuxedo Mask ripping through a youma that had picked up a fire truck. She saw movement from the truck, and dashed through the air to catch the firefighter as he was shaken free from the vehicle. The two landed hard in the midst of the rubble of Lita's house, and Serena stood, only to get picked up by the same youma holding the firetruck.

_SAILOR MERCURY!_  
..she heard, and felt the youma disintegrate suddenly into a vase with the Senshi's blast of Mercury Bubbles. Before Serena fell, her wings flapped mightily with a mind of their own, lifting her high above the fray.

_SAILOR MARS!_  
Serena looked down and saw Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars flying through a youma with combined attacks they'd practiced all month long. Again she thought about Sailor Jupiter. She landed gently among the rubble, almost casually stabbing a youma in the leg as she went to Lita's last known position. The formerly-youma bed landed with a crash, and Serena picked up the wrecked furniture and haphazardly tossed it out of the way.

_SAILOR VENUS!_  
..landed by Serena, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her away from a now-crashing telephone pole. Venus looked at Serena: "Pay Attention!"

"Lita was here," Serena said lightly.

"She's not now!" Venus screamed, pulling Serena away again as a youma grabbed them both up. Venus screamed; Serena stabbed the youma's grip mightily with her sword; felt Venus holding onto her hips as they started dropping to the ground. Again, Serena's wings came into service and landed them softly.

Venus and now Luna both started yelling at her, but Serena focused on a loud, humming energy she felt coming from the floor of the former living room.

This time, Sailor Venus and Luna both saw an ambulance hurtling at Serena far too fast for them to stop it; then saw the ambulance repelled by God-only-knows what — something that seemed almost like a force field around Serena which flashed white and pushed the ambulance up into what used to be Lita's upstairs bedroom. They noticed that Serena hadn't even seemed aware of the impending doom.

Serena yelled, "Lita!" once, then again, picking up furniture as if looking for Lita, when in fact she was looking for the source of the humming sound.

As the ambulance drivers climbed out of the destroyed ambulance into Lita's bedroom, Serena found it: a communicator, brilliant green, which she knew had been Lita's. As a youma grabbed for her, disintegrated into a nightstand, and got bounced away from her all without her knowledge, Serena bent down and grabbed the communicator. Sadly, she walked back out of the room, towards Luna and a now-struggling Sailor Venus, who was beating a youma with her Love Chain.

Serena flew up to the offending youma's face and grabbed it forcefully by it's thick neck. It laughed at her. She yelled, "Where's Nephrite? Where's your ..your _master_?" She hoped that's what they called their makers.

The youma laughed loudly at the impetuosity of this little winged nymph, slobber falling out of his mouth by the bucketfull onto the people below. It dropped Sailor Venus and slapped at Serena.

And instantly disintegrated, with just enough time to look shocked as it became a necklace and bounced harmlessly near Venus' sodden form. Sailor Venus yelled, "Oh, _YUCK!_" as she struggled with the snot-like substance covering her.

Serena looked around for Darien, called him. Saw him in another battle with a youma, and threw her tiara at the youma. Her tiara bounced off him like a piece of tin, so she flew to the youma instead. She ignored it though, and stalked up to Tuxedo Mask to show him the communicator.

The youma disappeared as Serena was talking to a busy Tuxedo Mask. "_..all that's left of her, Darien! We've got to find her!_" Serena absently caught her tiara and fitted it back on her head after Tuxedo Mask took the communicator.

Tuxedo Mask was extraordinarily irritated; saw another youma coming. His heart skipped a beat as the lightening-fast youma went to smash Serena on the head, only to be disintegrated into some bedroom slippers without Serena even noticing.

Serena said, _"We find Nephrite, we find Lita! But I can't detect him at all! I'm getting nothing!_ —_What did Demand say I had to do to '_sense_' the Shitennou?_" Beat. She screeched, "_Darien, are you even LISTENING to me?_"

Tuxedo Mask grabbed Serena's arm and walked her through the commotion, watching youma die as they tried to attack her. "I didn't see Lita, honey," he said absent-mindedly, paying far more attention to the carnage wrought on these youma by Serena's mere presence. Sailor Mars fell in behind them, but Tuxedo Mask shook his head at the fiery Senshi before she could yell at Serena for not paying attention. Struggling to think, he said, "I saw your sword hit Nephrite's —um, hey, you got it back."

Serena lifted her left hand, looked at the sword. "_Yeah I think it's like the tiara,_" she said thoughtfully, as two more youma fell against her and disintegrated. Looking behind her and noticing these former youma, she added, "_Geesh, how many of these things did Nephrite concoct?_"

Sailor Mercury, behind Serena now and walking backwards as if to protect her, yelled back, "He must have had everything in her HOUSE infected with youma, ready to come at his command!" Then, "Where's this WIND coming from?"

Sailor Mercury looked up, adjusting her goggles to detect the source of the—

Serena startled suddenly, too; then they all looked up in the air as a deafening sound filled the air, knocking most of the neighborhood onto their knees. "_Oh, My, God!_"

The moon was suddenly very large in the sky —unnaturally large, and appeared to have fire shooting out of it on one side. Suddenly the giant wind storm picked up even more, sending shingles and bikes and debris flying through the air dangerously. The emergency personnel yelled to take cover, but Serena stood there looking at the moon, held steady by a similarly stunned Tuxedo Mask.

Luna glared at the orb growing larger in the sky, claws firmly in Tuxedo Mask's leg. "Serena? —Serena! THIS ISN'T GOOD!"

Demand, Saphir, and Rubeus all appeared around them suddenly, Demand yelling through the wind: "Serena, —you have to go! _Now!_"

Serena turned on him, steadied against the wind only by Darien and the now-huddling Senshi. She yelled, "_What can I do?_"

Demand grabbed Serena's hand and quickly twisted her wrist so that the white sword was between their faces. Then pointed at the moon. "YOU HAVE TO GET THIS BACK!" he yelled. Grabbing both Serena and Darien now to steady himself, Demand finished: "YOU HAVE TO MOVE THE MOON!"

Serena stared at Demand, trying to process his insane words. Then saw a kid's wagon blow by and smash into a mailbox, not just mangling both items, but instantly disintegrating them. She looked at Darien, who was staring at Demand, trying to understand something else he was communicating. But Serena didn't need to know anything further. This wasn't a windstorm; this was an apocalypse. She moved away from Darien's grasp suddenly; Luna disengaged her claws from Darien and leaped on the train of Serena's dress. Serena ran a few steps and took off, flinging her sword powerfully above her head, hoping it would jerk her in that direction as it so often had jerked her to the earth when she wasn't paying attention. And the two took off, dragged fiercely to the moon, white sword leading the way.


	8. Chapter 8

**Negaverse Rising**

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**Chapter 8**  
**The Final Chapter**

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*** ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ M O O N * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~**

Serena was rocketed sickeningly high for a long time, never daring to look down; and then her perspective changed, where just staring 'up' at her sword meant she was hurtling down sickeningly fast. She brought the sword up over her head gently, flattening her direction but disturbingly not slowing her speed. When she opened her eyes against the winds, she was flying horizontally over the surface of the moonscape. She had expected the air to be sucked from her body, but surprisingly she felt just like she did on the earth, and wondered momentarily how that was possible.

She saw some deep pits and crevices, and wondered idly where she was supposed to be going. She flapped powerfully now to slow her speed, then landed awkwardly on the dustbowl. She looked around, dizzy with exhaustion and trying to catch her breath. Bent over; felt like puking. Looked up; around. Dark, gray moonscape. Felt guilty about a sudden impulse; an impulse she couldn't resist. Biting her lip, she took a small step and said out loud, "One - small - step - for - man..."

"Oh good LORD Serena—!"

Serena screamed, heart racing, and turned viciously on Luna, who was stuck in the train of her dress.

Luna continued, "..of all the TIMES to play a silly girl's game!" The cat huffed. Then looked up. "WELL CAN YOU HELP ME OUT OF THIS MESS?"

Serena hand was on her heart. "You're getting a cowbell," she grated as she pulled the cat out of her dress. "You're scared the daylights out of me, Luna!"

They heard a whipping sound behind them and both turned, Serena feeling and then seeing a black and white pulsating UFO flying at her face. Her instinct was to jump; instead, her right arm shot out, and another white sword landed hilt-first in the palm of her hand —with a black sword whipping violently around it.

"You have _GOT _to be kidding me," Serena said, holding the new white sword at arm's length_._

And then the ground started shaking; she almost fell to her knees, but was scared of these new blades whipping dangerously in front of her. Luna was screaming something at her; Serena was just trying to not fall over.

"Stop the black sword—!" Luna managed to command over the rumbling sounds coming from the ground.

Swallowing, Serena pulled her left sword up under the right sword, hoping she could _flick off_ Nephrite's angry-looking black sword and let it go hurtling off into space. Instead, the black sword now encompassed both white swords, and started spinning furiously around them both. Panicked, Serena tried to pull the two white swords apart; they felt nearly glued together.

"Pull them apart!" Luna insisted, stunned at the dangerous set of blades spinning violently around each other.

"I'm _TRYING_!" Serena gasped, her breathing labored as she fought the black sword. Her arms felt pained; and white light started shooting off the two swords ...the ground started shaking worse.

Then suddenly, the black sword fell to the ground uneventfully. Serena backed up a step, then the black sword seemed to bore a hole in the ground. The ground started sinking all around the sword; Serena instinctively flew up and back as the ground caved in, her swords spread as wide apart as possible to avoid more of that white flashing light. She landed back a few steps, then kept leaping back as the ground before her gave way more and more—

Nephrite popped up and out of the ground — out of the dark matter sword! — scaring the shit out of Serena! He ran directly at her, his dark matter sword fused into his hand as surely as the two white swords were now fused into her hands. She flew up and back at a maddening pace, trying to guess what her next move should even be.

"COME ON WITCH!" Nephrite said, shaking the atmosphere with the sound. "You wanted to JOIN the two FUCKING KINGDOMS!_ FINISH IT!_ PUT THIS ROCK IN THE EARTH!" He picked up incredible speed and flew directly into her, slashing her two white swords which she'd quickly crossed in front of her. Nephrite was immediately blasted backwards, flying heels over head far away. So far that she could barely see him.

She started freaking out; looked up at the earth. It seemed to be a long way away from her present position now, further away than when she first landed. About like what she'd seen in pictures of the earth from the moon. But she'd failed that part of science; cringed, wishing Prince 'Answers' Diamond was there to tell her what she needed to do to put the moon back in place!

The she stared in horror at the two swords. Breathing hard, cursing the day she was born, she said to the sky, "You've GOT to be kidding me. —two of the damned things? I can't even use the FIRST one!"

Luna ran up to her: "Serena, stop your whining! You handled that fairly well." She wasn't about to tell Serena that she feared Nephrite would run her through immediately. But she did say, "Keep watching your footwork; don't let him get you off-balance. If he trips you up, you're dead, so just stay on your feet." Luna screamed, "And what are you waiting for? _GO GET HIM!_"

Serena nodded and sheathed the new right-handed sword, pointed the remaining sword at the faraway Nephrite, then took off, wondering how a pregnant winged lady bolting across the surface of the moon must look to any astronomers out there. "NEPHRITE!" she yelled in warning, now flying sword-first towards the shitennou as he stood up.

But instead of trying to run him through, which she felt sure he'd easily block, Serena suddenly twisted the sword into the ground in front of Nephrite, spearing the ground, sending her flying over Nephrite. The shitennou slashed wildly over his head and connected with Serena's wing, sending a jolt of pain through her back and brain. She landed hard, but was facing him.

Nephrite ran at her and attacked with a fierce precision; as her primary sword parried his blow, she unsheathed her new sword, pulled it back, then stabbed forward, into his unprotected left side; felt the connection; saw his agonized face; heard him scream. —Serena was startled, —she had to bite back an effusive apology as she jerked her sword out of his side. In her hesitation, Nephrite quickly bolted up and ran away, grasping his side.

Serena, near tears, angry at herself for hesitating, turned and ran after him with great power, both swords now tucked under her arms and and pointing backwards to help her speed. She should have finished it; she stabbed him, hurt him; she was supposed to have finished it. He'd taken Lita; he'd hurt people; he'd attacked her after Demand brought him to Lita's. He tried to attack _Darien_! —And somehow the conjuring freak had MOVED THE MOON!

The moon had given her another sword; a sure sign she was supposed to use it.

Luna howled from behind her, "..WAIT UP SERENA!"

But Serena thought, Two swords - she was going to end this shit.

Nephrite ran for what felt to her like miles, to what originally looked like a small mountain, but which she saw now was a giant building ...a relic of a giant, regal building. As she closed in, she recognized it as THE giant building of her dreams from many months earlier, when the Black Moon brothers had invaded her mind and healed the breach left by Rei.

As she got closer still, the building got shinier. And as Serena's reality changed shape, she missed a step, then slowed to a walk, hyperventilating and starting to weep out of panic this time. She could now see brilliant colors emanating from the palace walls —colors she _knew _hadn't been there seconds before. She stopped, staring at the place in horror, LET GO of both swords and dropped to the ground, holding her head in her hands, not caring if the swords she didn't want decided to sweep up and behead her because she wasn't focused enough.

Luna slowed as well, taken aback by the sight of the former Silver Millennium castle come back to life so suddenly.

As the cat came upon a crying Serena, she intoned quietly, "It's like we've gone back into the past! Like we've just run straight back into the past" She almost felt like she could walk into that castle as see the former Queen Serenity, so many eons dead.

Serena turned her head away from the castle, and looked at the earth, the beautiful blue marble in the sky she loved so much. She asked Luna through confused tears, "Doesn't the earth look far enough away again?" Maybe they should just go home, if they'd done what Demand said she was supposed to do.

Luna looking at the Moon Kingdom's castle in full color, said, "This ...reconstruction is beyond what even your Silver Crystal could do. At least not without killing you." The ground even started sprouting color now, growing beautiful, long-extinct plants and trees, just as Luna remembered. Good Lord, Luna gasped silently; the moon had an atmosphere now! Luna wondered if this was some kind of mind trick; but Nephrite couldn't be that powerful. Finally, Luna said hollowly, "I'm at a loss. —But I guess we should press on. Find Nephrite..."

Serena wasn't listening; she watched curiously as the earth's north pole slowly twisted away from her, and Australia rotated into view. She knew the earth rotated all the time to make the hours. But she didn't know it rotated so fast! And as she stared, she realized that it_ couldn't_ rotate so fast. And she didn't that it rotate_ that way_. "Luna? —Luna, something's happening...!"

Luna said, "Of course something's happening! The Moon Palace is back!" She turned back to Serena now, adding, "And look at your crystal! It's back to normal now, even in this transformation! Hours ago it was that future 'sliver of crystal' thing, that Demand said was your future crystal. But now—"

"_Luna!_" Serena said, standing suddenly to look at the earth, pointing at the planet with her sword. "No, I mean— it shouldn't be like that!" As Luna finally looked up, Serena's eyes grew wide. "Luna! I know Ami would probably be laughing at me now, but —I really don't think Japan should be that high up on the globe!" Beat. "You almost can't see it anymore!"

When Luna didn't say anything, but just stared at the earth, Serena continued, "I mean, ..it would be _freezing_ all the time, right?"

—And THEN they heard a sonic boom so loud that Serena ripped her odangos off her head to stop the pain.

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_Day 1, 4pm_**  
D A M N A T I O N**

The moment Serena took off, Tuxedo Mask was grabbed by Demand. Amid the wind-ravaged chaos of Tokyo, the Black Moon prince shoved Darien into the three remaining senshi, and reached out to Rubeus and Saphir as a car came crashing towards them.

And the whole group was instantly transported to a still, quiet cavern.

"What happened?" Sailor Mercury complained, shaken up. She looked around, asked, "Where _are _we?"

"You don't want to know," Demand said, escorting Darien over to a bank of computers whose monitors seemed to be on various points of the earth from outer space. He zoomed in on one of the scenes.

Sailor Venus followed them, and immediately exclaimed, "Oh, pretty! It's so colorful! —where is it?"

Tuxedo Mask froze. It was an ancient image, one he'd never seen in this lifetime, but knew very well. He said, "_That's impossible!_"

Demand nodded. "Quite." Then, to Saphir, he said, "I guess that means she was successful; we need visual confirmation."

Artemis jumped out of Sailor Venus' arms, realizing belatedly, "We're in the Negaverse!"

"Very observant," Rubeus sneered. "Demand, I say we get the hell out of here and take our chances back on NEMESIS." They stayed knowing they were within years of a very dangerous time, but expecting to have accomplished their goals well before the Calamity.

Sailor Mars stormed over to Demand and Tuxedo Mask, hissed, "WHY? Why are we in the freakin _Negaverse_?"

"Safety," Sailor Mercury answered loudly, pointing to Rubeus' monitor: "The moon is pulling out of the earth's atmosphere."

"Then we've got the visual," Demand said morosely, standing to see the monitor Ami was pointing at, ignoring Hino's tantrum. She'd learn soon enough why they'd taken cover in the Negaverse.

"Well, that's awesome!" Sailor Venus said with a large smile. "That must mean Serena did it!"

Rubeus growled "_Stupid ditz_" under his breath, but then bluntly agreed, "It's better than having the moon crash land on earth." Beat. "But the sudden entry and exit of a giant satellite should have quite devastating global consequences."

Sailor Mercury jumped at that — of course it would! — then exclaimed, "So we're hiding out in the Negaverse?" Rubeus glared at her with a wicked grin, making her nauseated. She turned away and looked to Demand or Saphir for answers.

"We can, and we _must_," Demand said firmly. He flicked the image on his monitor to a stock photo of the moon. "You can't save everybody, Ami. But you won't save _anyone_ if you don't live through the initial shock wave, and we won't be useful if we don't understand the mechanics of what's going on." To Tuxedo Mask, he said, "This is the surface of the moon, an hour ago." Then he fast-forwarded the video to the present time, to the image Sailor Venus and Tuxedo Mask had initially seen. "And this is now. —completely unexpected!"

"Indeed," Saphir said, noting the odd phenomenon. "Another thing they left out of the history books."

Tuxedo Mask contemplated the moon coming to life; Serena being there. While the rest of them were hiding out in the Negaverse. "What's happening, Demand?"

Demand said, "Serena brought the moon to the earth."

"_What?_" Darien asked. "Bullshit! _—How?_"

Rubeus sneered, "Excellent question. Yes, Demand! _HOW?_" He, for one, had been caught completely off-guard; but Demand had warned him about it moments before it happened.

Demand looked at Tuxedo Mask and said, "You were there; you saw everything! —She threw away her .._her sword!_ The one she couldn't be rid of no matter how hard she tried?" He turned back to the monitors, started working the controls. "What did you EXPECT would happen—?"

"Thanks for informing us, Demand," Rubeus said wryly, walking over to the intelligent blue-haired one, about the only one in the room he could bear being around this instant.

"She still had her sword!" Tuxedo Mask argued.

"You saw a different one," Saphir said, zooming his bank of monitors in on Japan. He turned on them: "Japan's dark."

Ami glared at a blackened Tokyo, horror filling her soul: "It's 4 o'clock in the afternoon! There must be something wrong with your cameras!"

"They're not our cameras," Rubeus said smugly, "but we can vouch for them; our ship's in orbit near the satellite with this camera," he said, pointing at a monitor. "Which again, is where WE should be!"

Tuxedo Mask shouted to Demand over the growing muttering, "She even went to the moon POWERED by her sword! At your command!"

Rubeus yelled to Darien, "There are _TWO _swords, Chiba!" Damn the man was dense. "The one she's always had, and the one she spawns to take over the universe for selfish gain—" he coughed, then added, "_I mean, _'and the other one'."

Demand rolled his eyes, "If you're going to tell them the mythologies, you have to stress that they're _legends_; most people don't believe them. Ancients made things up to explain the unexplainable." He pulled his camera away from the moon, and moved it to focus on the earth. It was taking time... He looked up at Tuxedo Mask, then said, "According to _legend_, Serenity lost her first sword in battle, but immediately spawned another. Later, she joined the Two Swords, and was able to halt the glaceriazation of your planet." He looked at his monitor, and added, as if an afterthought, "The earth's tilt has increased."

"That's IMPOSSIBLE!" Ami shouted, staring at an image of the earth that was now on all the monitors. They couldn't see the Asian continent from that angle, but they saw the Americas. North America was now centered over the equator. "—ohmigod and that's Siberia, north of America!"

The cameras blinked out, all at once; and they all crashed to the floor, along with any equipment that wasn't bolted down. And then they heard the earth groan.

.

.

.

_**MOON CASTLE**_

Serena looked up into the gloriously-draped windows as she dashed towards the ancient palace, seeing nothing, but knowing that's where Nephrite was. Luna followed behind, tripping up occasionally with the surreal presence of the castle assaulting her eons-old memories.

"MS TSUKINO!" Nephrite called loudly. "I GIVE UP! I'm asking for TERMS!"

Serena sheathed her two swords as she ran into the palace, through the great room, then started up the ancient winding stairs going up to the next level. She knew the building well. It had been her home in another lifetime. It had been demolished to rubble, and slowly devolved to the moonscape that was in all the history books now — a dust bowl with a bunch of craters. It had remained a crater-ridden dirtball until about ten minutes earlier. Now it was different.

As she made her way quickly up the ever-winding stairs, she heard another shout: "_Serena?_" It was Lita.

Luna, on Serena's heels, asked, "What's LITA doing here?"

"I WAS WRONG TO ATTACK YOU!" Nephrite yelled out from somewhere above them. "I ASK FOR TERMS!"

Serena reached the top of the stairs and turned towards the voices. Ahead of her, Sailor Jupiter's head peeked out of a room at the end of the hall. "Serena, it's me. Please you have to listen to us—!"

"What did you _DO_?," Serena yelled, bolting to the room and rudely pushing past Lita, stopping only as Nephrite came into view.

Luna ran in and stood before Sailor Jupiter, saw Nephrite cowering in a corner. "What happened to you, Sailor Jupiter? You've thrown it all away for —_him_?"

Serena unsheathed both swords and pointed them at the maggot, cautiously approaching him. Breathing hard from the long run, she gasped out, "How'd you move the moon, Nephrite?"

The shitennou, stabbed, and knowing he was beaten, tossed his sword to the ground in front of him, giving up his only defense. The blade disappeared into it's hilt as Nephrite shook his head and said, "I didn't! I _WOULDN'T_!"

Lita agreed emphatically, moving protectively between Serena and Nephrite, holding up her hands as if to calm her friend: "Serena, we got SUCKED UP here! Nephrite would NEVER try to hurt his planet it's all he TALKS about—!"

Serena and Luna approached the pair. Serena angrily kicked the dark sword hilt away, and using the tips of her swords, moved Sailor Jupiter away from Nephrite; then slowly moved the swords towards Nephrite's neck. "The earth's flipped over on its side, Nephrite!" She glanced over at Sailor Jupiter, glaring with fury: "_Want him to live? Start talking!_"

"Flipped over?" Nephrite said, clearly alarmed. He glanced at the cat, who didn't seem to think the moon bitch was rattling insanities. "You mean it's _off its axis_?" He lurched suddenly, and made the egregious mistake of putting his hands to her swords to push them away, wanting to stand so he could go look, —and was cut severely and blasted back into the wall, screaming in pain.

Surprising even Serena; she quickly pulled her swords up and knelt down, shocked at the blood pouring out of his hands.

"Serena," Luna screamed, "_Fix him!_ He needs to tell us what he did!"

Serena's eyes widened, but she reached out to touch Nephrite's leg —about as close to his wounds as she felt comfortable getting. As she touched him, she felt energy pour out of her fingers and blast into Nephrite's body. Her mouth dropped open in surprise as Nephrite bolted up, still glaring at his hands, screaming in horror.

Sailor Jupiter, thinking Serena had hurt Nephrite for the third time, lashed out at Serena with a thunder blast: "_Get AWAY from him!_"

—but the attack was turned back on the senshi and sent her flying backwards across the wall, into the next corner, knocked out.

Serena had felt something disturbing in Nephrite, and was drawn to continue the healing; she grabbed his arms and continued holding him ..healing him. Purifying him? she wondered. He convulsed loudly, screaming—

..then the dark matter sword hilt blasted across the room behind them. Nephrite fell to the floor, no longer moving.

Serena backed up; looked for Luna. Saw her tending to Lita, who had detransformed and was still passed out. "Luna I think I killed him!" she said, panicked.

Luna didn't leave Lita: "You purified him, Serena," she said hollowly. Without using a talisman of any sort, the cat thought to herself.

"Purified?" Serena asked, bending down to check Nephrite's pulse. Eh, he had a pulse. She started slapping him, trying to rouse him. "NEPHRITE! GET UP! —Luna," she said, disturbed, "I thought Chaos had been dispersed. What's there to purify?"

.

Nephrite stirred. Opened his eyes. The Moon Bitch was staring at him, jarring him awake. He twisted his head and started throwing up.

That got the ditz away from him. She and that cat convened at the window, and Nephrite sat up. He'd lost his connection with the Dark Matter Sword, and that had hurt far worse than touching her white swords. Sure, the white swords had burned down into this soul mercilessly, but mainly they'd just cut his fingers off.

When the pregnant usurper of power touched him, though, to repair the physical damage she'd caused, she'd ripped half his soul from him, rending his bond with the Dark Matter Sword, suddenly and painfully. Nephrite could tell she didn't even know what she'd done to him; she probably just thought his fingers were back on, _oh whoopie_, she didn't have to live with that bit of guilt.

He glanced over at Lita, who'd stupidly tried to attack Serena and probably brought on the whole 'healing' thing. Lita was hovering over him now, as she always did. As she always _had_, even a thousand years earlier. He'd initially used those memories to stir her interest in him, but those memories were nothing but a boring dream to him. He could find women anywhere; this one was okay, but ultimately, she was a senshi — his greatest sworn enemy. And though he'd earned her sympathies and help, she constantly ended up causing him more grief than necessary.

He shook Lita off him and stood, strode to the window. It physically HURT to be without his connection to the sword—

Then he saw his planet, its axis toppled over, and fury took him. "What THE HELL did you DO NOW?" he demanded.

.

Serena checked; the earth hadn't moved more, but Serena could see atmospheric activity that hadn't been there moments ago. Dust clouds and angry looking storms converging... Her head swimming with fear, she said, "We've got to do something!"

When Luna informed Nephrite that they knew he'd caused the disaster, the shitennou exclaimed, "I DIDN'T!" Then he pointed at Serena angrily: "_SHE DID!_"

Serena ignored his tone. Beside herself, she said, "Okay -how did *I* move the moon? How did YOU get here?"

Nephrite cringed. "That —that white sword of yours!" He paused, remembering the moment. "We ended up here because you threw that —thing at MY sword, which by the way completely ignores centuries-held traditions about what's fair in sword fighting!" He huffed angrily; the bitch was useless. Then he railed, "—and it _TRAPPED _my sword. The moon tried to pull it back ... we _FELT _the pull!"

Serena glared at him, asked wryly, "Why wouldn't you have just _let the sword go_, Nephrite?"

"I —I had JOINED with my sword." Was she really that dense, he wondered. "Your sword was _fused _to mine. Lita and I felt like we were being pulled apart! —Then ..whoosh, we ended up here! The moon CAPTURED your sword, and us along with it!" Beat. "_YOU _did this!"

"You ..you 'joined' with a sword?" Lita asked, stunned by this news.

"LOOK!" Serena shouted, grabbing Nephrite's head and pushing it up against the window with fury. "That's YOUR planet you want to protect from the likes of ME! RIGHT? —" And then she let go of him; realized he was telling the truth. His thoughts came blazing into her brain.

.

.

.

Day 1, 6pm  
_EARTH_

Tuxedo Mask worked feverishly at lifting rubble off the crushed victims in downtown Tokyo. Water had flooded the city from the calamity — a tsunami that had swept the world, or at least the East, during one of the many earthquakes of the past several hours.

Sailor Venus lifted the victims to a staging area planned by Ami, where the Black Moon Clan worked to heal injuries. It wasn't the only emergency triage available, as the city's planners had prepared well for tsunamis, but it was the only one with the special healers who were instantly healing crush survivors. And when word got out about the instant healers, people made pilgrimages to the Senshi triage en masse. All the senshi, Tuxedo Mask, and the Black Moon Clan had been working non-stop for hours.

Many others had joined their effort, and accepted first the example, and then the commands, of the dashing masked man who'd so often helped the Sailor Senshi battle off monsters. Now they weren't battling monsters; now they were battling the earth's upheaval, and nobody, not a one, knew when the disasters would calm. They were all battling to help each other live another day.

Sailor Mercury had launched into emergency planning the minute she accepted that the earth's axis had tilted —or rather, tilted MORE; and that Japan was probably now located where Siberia used to be. In the sub-arctic. She _KNEW _they wouldn't be able to stay in Japan; maybe the Siberians, if any lived, could migrate to Japan. But the Japanese would have to either learn to adapt to impossible cold, or they'd all have to migrate further south. Australia, maybe.

Already the air seemed colder, Sailor Mercury thought, even though her brain told her the atmosphere should have heated up considerably from the energy loosed by the earth's tilting. But she cursed herself for considering all this now; she shouldn't be focusing on anything but the immediate needs of this one city. Mercury worked with any and every hand she could find to set up triages, shelters; to find doctors, water, and hopefully soon, food. Luxuries not even the Senshi had been able to attain.

And she was starting to try to accumulate data about the earth's stability, not for the long-term, but just for the next few hours. The question now being asked by some of the city planners she'd dug out from the rubble was, if the island of Japan stayed afloat at all, should they stay in Japan, or try to ferry survivors to mainland China.

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.

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**_M O O N_**

"I did this, Luna," Serena said, breathless. After she'd FELT Nephrite's thoughts, all at once, and could see the way he looked at her, and unfortunately the way he looked at Lita, she knew that the lout had no real information about why the earth had tilted, and that her releasing her sword to save Darien is exactly what Nephrite thought had brought down the moon.

She had stormed out of that room, and ran blindly to another set of rooms she knew well — those of her first mother, Queen Serenity, who now existed to her only as a mirage in her dreams. Luna had followed, and sat Serena down, and had a talk with her, finding out exactly what Nephrite had seen that day. Luna half-agreed with Nephrite's assessment: "Nephrite had nothing that could move the moon! The only thing that could generate that much power would be—" she broke off and glared at Serena's Silver Crystal. "But even _that _is impossible! You're still alive!"

Luna questioned Serena's original explanation of the white sword — that it was a pure star seed that she had used against Galaxia. "You have to ask yourself, why you would have that star seed NOW, Serena, if the sword was shattered, and the star seed returned? —I don't think you have the Sword of Sealing there!" Luna contended.

Serena looked closely at her swords, then asked, "So these are someone _else_'s star seeds?"

Luna asked impatiently, "What would you be doing with someone _else_'s star seed?" Luna had learned the story of Galaxia months ago, how a brilliant star seed had sought out the brightest star seed in the universe to defeat Chaos, which had been Serena's Silver Crystal. Luna hadn't even been aware that the Silver Crystal was in any way a star seed, but accepted the story without argument, and opted to just not the trust either the white sword itself, or Serena's unstable transformation.

Now the cat wondered if there was there another powerful being trying to use Serena in such a way? Frustrated, Luna asked, "There's _nothing _else you remember after Galaxia?"

"No," Serena said. "All my future '_memories_' end with Galaxia, and being reunited with all of you." She smiled fondly at Luna. Then dropped her head into her hands, feeling like an abject failure. They weren't getting anywhere; the earth was in trouble. All she could do was sit there like a bump on a log.

Luna recalled again the time Queen Serenity opted to seal away the enemies: "Your mother had drawn so much power from the Silver Crystal, just to save you." She smiled, thinking of the woman's sacrifice. Then shrugged, "Of course, Demand said that you ..you _dispersed _the Silver Crystal to all souls, leaving only a sliver for yourself." But that sliver was gone now, replaced again by the original Silver Crystal. "—It's hard to imagine that dispersing the Silver Crystal wasn't an '_overuse_' of the crystal."

"I don't have that memory," Serena said, "but at least it sounds nice." Most of her thoughts about her future self were still very negative.

"Your future self must have grown in power, far beyond what you mother could do." She couldn't believe it, but it had to be so. Luna walked over to the white swords Serena was absently inspecting, then looked up at Serena's crystal brooch. Paused. "Your mother was a very powerful woman, Serena, very wise in the use of the Silver Crystal." Then Luna casually touched one of the swords, no longer so scared it was a dangerous weapon that could instantly kill them all. Memories of the sword from the last few months came back to her, from the time it first appeared with Serena's new, unstable transformation, to now, when it had apparently duplicated itself after the original was 'retrieved' by the moon.

The sword wasn't hurting the cat at all; it emanated a warmth, and a light. Again Luna remembered how it had captured the Dark Matter sword just an hour or so earlier; and how it had appeared on the moon —flown to Serena, landing in the girl's right hand, and with the Dark Matter sword still captured.

Captured; as Queen Serenity had _captured _the Dark Kingdom in pieces of the Silver Crystal.

And a light came on.

"It's the Silver Crystal," Luna said, hollowly.

Serena looked down at her brooch: "Yeah, it came back today, with the dress."

"No—!" Luna said, excitedly. "No, Serena, what I'm saying is, _THIS SWORD_ — IT'S your Silver Crystal! Don't you see—?"

Serena examined the sword thoughtfully.

"Serena, the Silver Crystal is so powerful that it KILLED Queen Serenity when she tried to draw too much power from it! But _you _— some version of you — _you _were apparently able to draw enough power from it to DISPERSE it to billions ...which should take considerably more power than what your mother used it for!"

Serena smiled, thinking Luna had finally lost it. "If it's the Silver Crystal, which was dispersed, did it .._un-disperse_ itself?" She then snorted a laugh.

"I'm not joking, Serena!" Luna chided. "Think about it! _YOU _said that someone's star seed turned itself into a sword; so why not your star seed? And look at what this thing has accomplished!"

Serena shivered, letting the sword's tip fall to the floor. "Oh yeah, it moved the moon and flipped the earth. —Lovely."

"_Serena!_" Luna spat. "If this is your star seed — your SOUL! — then the minute you released it, you..." The cat couldn't finish the thought; Serena wasn't dead! And people couldn't just use their star seeds as projectile weapons—

"That's when I got the dress," Serena said, somewhat absently. "And the shoes."

"Of course, maybe the moon thought you were dead! Maybe that's why it called the Silver Crystal _back_..."

Luna suggested that the Silver Crystal was so powerful that, after a completely selfless use of the crystal — the dispersal of the crystal to every soul — it hadn't diminished at all, as Demand had suggested, but just the opposite. It had grown in power! And when Serena again sacrificed it to save Darien from Nephrite's sword, it immediately replicated itself to protect Serena, while the moon claimed the original one.

Serena grew alarmed that she might spawn a third! so Luna quickly changed the subject.

Serena stood in front of her mother's mirror, where so much of her life had been started. She stared at herself. "So I finally get some clothes, but —the earth's upside down."

Luna glared. "It's not 'upside down', Serena. At best, it's tilted a bit on it's side."

"Like Uranus?" she asked, trying to remember which outer planet spun on its side, and which one was really windy.

But Luna was onto something else. Slowly, then increasing in pitch, she asked, "Serena? Serena, didn't Demand say that ..that the Neo-Queen PUSHED BACK an ice age?"

"Demand says a lot," Serena snapped, holding her dress out and doing a curtsy into the mirror.

"Serena, —Japan's really close to the arctic circle now."

"Uh, _yeah_! I'm the one who pointed that out!" She blinked back tears, blinked back reality. Serena thought about how cold it was north of Tokyo, up in Siberia. Where Tokyo was now. And she had something grinding on her spirit, telling her that the earth was in grave trouble, coming apart at the seams. So she focused on her dress. Curtsied again. Saw how the dress hid her pregnancy pretty well. Pretended everything was okay.

Luna scowled, "Would you stop playing, Serena! This situation is serious!"

Serena snapped, "I know that, Luna!" Then, turning away from the mirror in shame, she suddenly started crying. "I moved the moon, which tossed the earth like a salad! —and I'm afraid if I just go back, I might make the solar system crush in on itself!"

Luna jumped on the bed, ignoring Serena's tantrum, and looked out the window, excited now. "I wish Artemis were here... he could check me. —You'll have to do." She turned around. "You flew up here to retrieve your sword, and that satisfied the moon. It returned to its proper orbit, but that seems to have had a .._an effect_ on the earth. All we have to do is figure out how to correct that!"

Serena shook her head. "No. I know I can't just 'un-tilt' the earth! That was my first thought, but everything in me said that was the wrong thing to do!"

Luna nodded silently. "Okay. But surely you can help _stabilize _it." And then, "If you're really _her _now, you'd be able to..." letting the thought trail as her mind exploded with possibilities. "We need some help, Serena! I believe it's time to call the senshi!"

Serena's eyes grew wide when Luna ran out of the room with a curt '_be right back._' Serena looked into the mirror, smiled, and said, "I'm not '_her_'. I'm ME!" and touched the Silver Crystal in her brooch to prove it.

.

.

.

_Resurgence_

When Luna came running back in the room, Sailor Jupiter in tow, Serena was kneeling on the floor by the mirror, sobbing. Luna said, "Serena! Would you get up—?"

Sailor Jupiter burst through the doors and ran to her friend. "I'm so sorry, Serena!" She dropped to her knees by Serena: "I _swear_, I didn't know he'd bonded with an evil sword! I didn't know! —I guess he was just trying to get stronger to, you know, battle Darien, and whoever else he thought was out to get him." Beat. "He probably didn't know what he'd bonded with! It came from _Demand_'s ship, you know."

"Yeah I know," Serena said, sullenly, trying to pull herself together. "Rubeus used it the first night he attacked us." She bit her lip, staring at the floor, at her brooch. "Of course, Rubeus just _USED _it; he wasn't _BONDED _to it or anything."

Luna suddenly neared the girls, and hollowly demanded, "Leave us, Sailor Jupiter." Beat. "—I need a moment with Serena." Luna had noticed the Silver Crystal brooch laying on the floor beside Serena, the Silver Crystal swords perched in the corner of the room.

"No. I'm fine," Serena said, wiping her eyes, and reaching over to put her brooch back on. "Lita, stay. Please. I'm just being emotional—"

Sailor Jupiter hugged Serena fiercely, "Me, too! It's been a HORRIBLE day! But listen to me," she said, grabbing Serena's hand, looking into her eyes. "I was going to tell you that Nephrite and I were together. I swear! —he was so sure Darien would do ..well, exactly what Darien did! But I knew I could trust you! I hope you know that I'd never choose him over you!"

Serena stood up, straightening her dress. She held out her hands, and both swords jumped into them. Serena turned away from the mirror, hoping to never look into a mirror again, and idly sheathed one sword, leaving only one. The one she'd need for Lita.

Serena stared sullenly at her cat, who hadn't quite recovered, either.

Jupiter looked at Luna, then again at Serena. "What's wrong with you guys? —is it Nephrite?"

Luna said, "Sailor Jupiter, I want you to step back and let Serena try something." Luna figured if she were wrong, at least they wouldn't be losing a loyal Scout.

Then, Luna said, "Serena, we've got to try this. So please, carefully, —wield your sword."

Serena stared at Lita, knowing she had to do this with pure love. She remembered Lita's good days, her funny days, her most loyal days... she remembered times from another history, and how in another life she had wanted Lita to be Small Lady's aunt. And only then did she dare lift her sword towards Lita.

Lita's eyes grew wide. "_Are you going to kill me?_" she squealed nervously.

"Sailor Jupiter," Serena said formally, and then imagined Lita as a Princess of Jupiter.. "who has been gifted with powers over winds and storms, and who has faithfully served as a Sailor Senshi, protecting the Moon Kingdom in ancient history as well as now..." —then Serena's sword lurched forward and stabbed mightily at Jupiter's throat, scaring Serena as much as Lita. The sword BOLTED ON to Jupiter's choker, where an emerald crystal had grown, and shot bolts of white energy into the senshi.

**Ç**

Serena was held firmly in place, feeling not only Lita's energy growing, but her own. In her mind's eye she was flying high over the moon, speeding quickly over the earth and the moon, then higher yet, over the solar system, over the milky way. All the stars grew brighter, then EXPLODED with white light, nearly blinding her.

She closed her eyes and drew breath. When she opened them again, Sailor Jupiter was before her, staring through Serena at the wall, mouth ajar. After a few seconds, she focused on Serena, then said, "Wow... can you do that again?"

And then they all noticed it: Sailor Jupiter's clothes had changed in the details, and she was now holding an emerald green crystal-bearing rod with a symbol of Jupiter near the top. Sailor Jupiter scanned it closely. "_Duuude!_"

"It _worked_?_!_" Luna asked, truly surprised. It's not like they'd discussed anything in detail; Luna just knew that a future version of Serena would be the one to bestow power-ups on the senshi as needed. And it was needed now more than ever.

Serena's knees had buckled slightly when her sword let go of Lita, but Serena stood, then sheathed the sword. Serena licked her dry lips, wearily nodded, and asked, "Feel any different?"

Sailor Jupiter's eyes were wide; she lifted her arms, felt power coursing through them. Then she looked at Serena: "What _ARE _you?"

Luna said flatly, "It's a who; and _SHE_'s Serena." Beat. "Sailor Jupiter, do you _FEEL _any different?"

"Well hell yeah!" Jupiter bolted out with a grin.

"Good," Serena said. "Because we're going to need your help. In a big way." Serena's mind was showing her Sailor Jupiter in the upcoming battle; not a battle against evil forces, but a battle to stabilize the earth.

As Sailor Jupiter ran to show off her new assets to her boyfriend, Luna asked Sailor Jupiter one more thing: "Sailor Jupiter, can you detransform first? —just to make sure we don't have any _surprises _later." The cat looked nervously at Serena, and added, "You know how Serena's.. '_transformation_' ..wasn't very stable at first." The cat was dizzy with knowledge; Serena WASN'T Senshi anymore. "We just need to make sure you have some control over your new transformation "

Jupiter smiled, "Sure!" and detransformed with ease. "Thanks, Serena! I know you didn't have to trust me, but I'm so glad you did! I won't let you down!" Beat. "I think I'll go in to Nephrite like this, then transform, just to show him the difference!" And with that, Lita bolted out.

Serena said softly, after Lita left, "He won't like it." She sighed deeply, hating having Nephrite's thoughts anywhere in her brain. "He's repulsed by her transformation."

Luna looked at Serena. "I'm sorry, Serena."

.

.

.

.

Day 1, 7pm  
_Final Warning_**_  
_**

Alarms sounded — another tsunami warning. Sailor Mercury couldn't go on. She couldn't leave; she wouldn't leave these people to certain death while she darted off to a safer continent. Her head dropped.

Her arm was grabbed; she was hurtling through the air. Then deposited onto a high pile of rubble that used to be a skyscraper. She turned, was blinded by the light. "Serena?" she asked the brilliant light.

Serena didn't talk; she drew her sword and aimed it at Sailor Mercury's neck. Mercury screamed as power coursed through her — through her Mercury crystal, she realized. Her visor disappeared, and was replaced by something new. Mercury's eyes opened wide as she was able to see the entire globe before her, as if she'd been bounced out into space. She looked up, and even though she could still feel Serena's hand on her arm, her brain told her she was soaring through space. She moved her head slightly, and her focus moved her blindingly fast to a a large, gaseous planet. She was able to make out detail on the surface of what she thought must be Jupiter—

"Ami!" Serena yelled, tugging her arm. "Stop playing around! I need you!"

When Ami blinked, she was just looking at the regular sky; she was back on the pile of rubble. "Woah, Serena! Where'd you get _THESE_?"

Serena responded: "We don't have time! You stop the tsunami; I've got to find Rei and Mina!"

And the light went dim again.

Sailor Mercury turned back towards the ocean, and fear struck her as she saw the system brewing through her new visor.

"C'mon, Ami!" Sailor Jupiter said with excited gusto. "You've got to tell me where to land an earth-shattering rumble!"

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Day 1, 8pm  
** M A R S * P O W E R**

Saphir sat at his console and aimed a few of his precious torpedoes: "Okay then, on my mark—"

Sailor Mars heard his mark, and from above what was now practically the North Pole, she blasted a Fire Mandala up UNDER the warheads that were flying towards Tokyo — the Soviet response to the Calamity, which the Soviets had so stupidly pinned down as emanating from the Japanese city. As her mandala blasted the warheads higher than their projected course—much higher, almost into orbit, Saphir fired on them.

It wasn't a perfect solution, but it was all they could devise with such short notice. Serena's power-up had left Sailor Mars with incredible attack power, which Serena claimed came from within Rei herself, the source of which Rei still questioned, but accepted loosely as being inherently hers. Serena had effectively 'woken up' her dormant powers, according to both Serena and Luna.

And Luna was right; in doing so, Rei's connection to the planets, particularly through her fires, was even more acute now. She and Serena both felt the danger coming from Moscow before the Americans had alerted Japan and threatened to counterstrike.

But Rei had been a bit harsh with Serena; she didn't much like surprises, and this one had come unbidden from _SERENA _and her terrible white sword. Rei had almost called her a witch; was glad she hadn't, since they'd all been walking on eggshells around Serena over the last few months. And because Rei knew what it felt like to be called a 'witch' — the connotation was evil, suggesting that the girl used powers that weren't hers and altered nature for fun.

Then Rei had seen Serena's hurt face, immediately after the power-up, and knew, Rei _KNEW_, Serena had heard the sentiment somehow. Rei knew she'd hurt Serena, yet again, and couldn't do anything about it. Except this — to be the best senshi she could, and hope Serena understood Rei's temperament enough to get over it.

"Let's go!"

Serena had just bolted up and grabbed the Martian senshi without even asking how the mission went. Sailor Mars felt sure that Serena had discerned exactly how successful the mission had been.

And now she was '_flying_' —more like being dragged, she felt — to a destination unknown. And then the world disappeared. Her heart lurched; she felt like she'd swallowed her own lungs and couldn't breathe because her body was digesting itself. Somehow, she found it in her to scream—

Then the world spun back into view; Serena was ahead of Sailor Mars, beckoning her on. As Sailor Mars approached, Serena pointed: "Counterstrike—Saphir's on his way."

Sailor Mars reached out for Serena's arm this time, stopping her from bolting away again. Sucking in breath, she pointed at Serena with her gorgeous new fire rod and said, "_What the hell was that?_ Where'd we _go_?"

.

Serena said, "I'm sorry Rei; we had to get down here faster—"

"_HOW?_" Rei screamed, demanding an explanation. "Felt like my insides were twisted out!"

Serena frowned sadly and shook her head: "I'm sorry, Rei. I don't know. I think we flew back in time a bit." All Serena knew was that she could feel the launch taking place, knew she didn't have enough time to stop it, and just WILLED there to be enough time to get Rei down there. The Silver Crystal made it so —though at great cost, she thought.

It was a price she'd already paid.

Serena watched Sailor Mars a few more seconds, suddenly filling with pride at the stamina of the Martian senshi as Sailor Mars started looking for the source of the warheads. In the last hour or so, Serena had dragged Rei all over the globe to deal with human-sourced calamities that were only adding to the earth's traumas. She had powered up all her senshi, but those gifts had been given for a reason, and she had to ask them for the near-impossible; use them to the point of cruelty.

She had also used Saphir for his spaceship and its weapons, although Darien had smartly tasked all the Black Moon Clan as healers for the local Tokyo crush victims. She would soon have to take another Black Moon brother from the healers; Ami was struggling with the city advisers about how exactly to go about ensuring that Japan stayed afloat. Ami had the smarts, and the data; the city planners had the more technical know-how; it should have been a marriage made in heaven. But but the two sides weren't meeting, and Ami couldn't stand up to them.

Serena had immediately considered asking Darien to be their go-between, but had burst into tears thinking about him her like this. She could hardly bear stupid Nephrite thinking she was a freak; and Rei, her best friend, had been repulsed by her as well. The thought of Darien being repulsed was too much to bear. And Darien had been so nice —Ami had told her his first task had been to find her family and get them to safety; and that he'd been slaving away ever since, rescuing enormous numbers of trapped people.

Luna had squawked that Serena didn't have time to feel sorry for herself.

Serena knew Luna was right, and had pulled herself together. As she did now, deciding quickly to ask Rubeus to work with Ami, though she knew Ami was terrified of the Red Prince. They were all terrified of something this night; Ami would have to deal with it.

.

.

Day 1, 8:30pm  
_SPURNED_

Tuxedo Mask looked up at Serena, a definite ray of sunshine in this broken city. His heart filled with joy. He'd known she had been back for hours, but only through word-of-mouth. He was hurt that she couldn't make it to see him, but the sensible side of his brain told him she had bigger things to do first.

Serena pointed her swords at the rubble he was lifting, then lightly tapped her swords to the ugly, skeletal remains of the building which had trapped hundreds. She grabbed Tuxedo Mask as the rubble disintegrated into light ash out from under them, freeing anyone still alive, Serena hoped.

As she set him down, he grabbed for her — was shocked when she jumped away. Sailor Mars swooped down behind Serena almost immediately, and Serena grabbed the Martian senshi and jumped to a nearby structure. Tuxedo Mask yelled for her; she was gone.

He sat hard on the dusty ground as personnel ran by him, pulling survivors out of the light layer of ash. Then he heard a voice speaking to him.

"Mr. Chiba," Luna said, "You could use a rest. Serena's just got a lot to do—"

"She didn't even speak to me," he choked out. He looked at the cat. Demand had told him the myths about her swords; he hadn't believed, fully, until he saw the two swords with his own eyes.

Luna didn't answer immediately. Then, "She feels responsible for .._all this._"

Tuxedo Mask grimaced. "It's Nephrite who's to blame." He knew what Demand had said about the 'thrown sword' — apparently a sacrifice that had called forth destruction, just for him. But ultimately he knew it was all due to Nephrite.

"You're both wrong," Luna said carefully. "This disaster was inevitable; unavoidable. Serena _dispersed Chaos,_ Darien," she said, using his real name for the first time either could remember. "One day — if not today, another day — someone would have done something that required her to sacrifice her star seed, just like she did this afternoon."

Tuxedo Mask froze at the confirmation of Demand's stories. "But today, it was Nephrite," Tuxedo Mask said darkly, wiping off his pants and standing up.

"The point is, it was bound to happen. I didn't get a chance to tell her that earlier. She should know that."

Tuxedo Mask looked down at the cat. "Is she okay, Luna?"

"No, Mr. Chiba, she is not okay. She's holding her chin up, but she is _not _okay." Beat. "I think that's why she's been avoiding you. She's ashamed of her appearance—"

"So she IS avoiding me," Tuxedo Mask said, both angry and disappointed.

Luna nodded. "Her own senshi have treated her .._differently_. You just saw her with Sailor Mars; Rei didn't take kindly to the power-up. She thought Serena was a witch."

"Rei called her a '_witch_'?" Mask asked, surprised. Disgusted.

"Worse," Luna said. "Rei _thought_ it. Serena heard the thought—something to do with her senshi bond, I suppose. Serena didn't confront Rei, of course, not during all this. Lita's the one who actually _SAID _something—"

"Lita's a traitor," Tuxedo Mask said. "Serena should have left that bitch on the moon."

"She needed Sailor Jupiter!" Luna said. "—but you're not understanding what I'm trying to tell you. When Serena broke Nephrite's bond with the Dark Matter Sword, his thoughts came to her mind. Nephrite doesn't believe senshi are even humans; and he thinks Serena is some kind of _demon_. Certainly not of this earth—"

"That's ridiculous!" Tuxedo Mask snapped. He looked at his own get-up: "_I'M _fully human, even though I may not look it right now." Beat. "But all this is just temporary, Luna. It's not who we really are—!"

Alarmed by his words, Luna argued, "_You don't understand_, Mr. Chiba! Something happened to her on the moon—"

Luna was interrupted by a giant fireball flying their way. It froze mid-air, and then burst into a thousand pieces, but the resulting hailstorm was hardly a joy for a small cat like Luna. Tuxedo Mask picked her up and tucked her into his cape, then took off running through the pelting melee.

.

.

.

Day 1, 10pm  
_CLASH_

Adrenaline from the tsunami and the power-ups was still pushing through her veins, driving her near madness, long after the last tsunami wave was frozen by Sailor Mercury. Serena flew over the coast, looked around madly, and finally saw something: a cell tower falling over a residential district. She hoisted her right sword up and over her head, feeling it explode into action as its energy bolt met the fallen projectile and lifted it, suspending it in the air in a frozen column of clear crystal. Breathing harder still, Serena glared at the tower; the crystal column was now buried in the ground, the cell tower embedded high up, and it almost looked like it was designed that way. "Huh," she said, damned confused but happy the thing wasn't crushing people.

She speared down and darted towards the city, slowing only after she was downtown, amid destruction.

"SERENA!"

She spun mid-air, knowing the voice. Tuxedo Mask had rushed her, grabbed her right bicep and had her on a crumbling rooftop instantly; she blasted backwards away from him instinctively, holding her swords out beside her and over her head to control her backward momentum.

Tuxedo Mask's cane caught her by the ankle as she was about to take off, and he pulled her down sharply; she landed flat on her wings like a dead bird, went to bounce up, was crushed by his body. "SERENA!" he yelled into her face, far too loud for her close proximity, but desperately trying to reach her. "_STOP!_"

She closed her eyes, and after a few quiet seconds, she slammed her swords flat on the rooftop under her, propelling both herself and Tuxedo Mask up as the building changed under them, impossibly growing. In the air, she pushed him away and turned, even as he yelled, "_NO!_ Come back to me—!"

She turned back around, feeling his cane extending to her again, and angrily slashed her sword at his cane. When her sword hit his cane, though, they were both suddenly captured in a field of white power that lit up the dark sky for miles. She was frozen, staring at him in shock, then watching his eyes grow in terror. Saw movement; they both watched as his cane exploded into a giant, curved golden sword, and then she saw his eyes wince with pain as the sword fused itself into his hand. When the energy field finally dissipated, they were on solid ground. She backed up slowly, as if in a daze, their swords still touching.

And a wall of crystal shot down into the ground from where their swords touched.

Tuxedo Mask was repulsed instantly; seeing Serena behind a crystal wall amid an apocalypse was just too close to the visions he'd suffered months earlier, which were still fresh in his mind. He instantly slashed his sword at the crystal wall with great might, shattering the wall. He then tried to drop the sword, but to his abject horror, it floated in his palm, exactly like Serena's sword had done in her hand during her training sessions.

He grabbed for Serena's hand, almost slashed at her face. Her sword whipped up to protect her —from him! He stepped back, distraught, and yelled: "_This is what I saw in my visions, Serena!_" He closed his eyes, gasping for air. All this time he'd been told those visions were wrong; now he knew better. This night, this very night, his vision would be realized. He was going to die in this destroyed world, and she would suffer complete loss, and there was nothing he could do to stop it now.

The ground suddenly heaved, groaned; Tuxedo Mask whipped around just in time to see the ground cave under Serena. She fell into blackness.

Horrified, Tuxedo Mask dove head-first after his falling white light. She fell faster; a frustrated Tuxedo Mask slashed at the air, and a large crystalline floor shot out and curved under his brilliant angel, effectively catching her.

She slowly stood on his candy-ribbon floor, just as he got near. She grabbed for his outstretched hand, just as the earth started shaking around them.

He looked at her and yelled, through pleading tears, "I love you Serena! I need more time!"

He moved to grab her close; they floated over his crystalline floor, breathing each other's air. They remained suspended like that for several seconds. He was entranced, even as the earth heaved and sighed; he moved to kiss her.

Serena wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. Her heart broke when he kissed her back, desperately sobbing against her mouth. She moved her hands soothingly over his arms, then onto his face, intending to push him away enough to tell him he was wrong, that everything would be okay. But he must have thought she was trying to break free again; he grabbed her hands, twisting them back and down, which actually sheathed her swords. He let go of the kiss then, gasping for air, and smiled at her slightly before kissing her again. He dove into her mouth again, and again, and she fought to keep up, getting lost in his soft, deep kisses.

He grabbed at her back recklessly, unknowingly ripping at her wings like he could pull them off, undress her. His hands moved to her dress, trying to rip it down, free her breasts. Serena tried to catch her breath; wanted to warn him that she couldn't detransform; she wasn't sure about the dress. But then his warm, wet mouth was over her breast, suckling furiously; she melted against him, held up only by his arm.

Tuxedo Mask had been happily surprised when her entire dress shimmered away at his touch; it was like an answer to a last prayer. He took it as a sign, and holding her with only one arm behind her back, he unzipped his pants, freeing himself as he took her breast in his mouth. As her wings batted down again to keep them afloat, he straightened and grabbed the back of her hair, kissed her deeply again, communicating his desire clearly.

Serena floated back in ecstasy at his touches, then joined him passionately when he pulled her head up to resume their kiss. She wrapped her arms back around his shoulders lazily as he heightened her every sense with his passionate desire, sighed audibly into his mouth as his hands went crazy over her body.

She realized she was entirely naked in his arms, and smiled against his desperate kisses, wondering how he did the things he did. Seconds later, she felt him pushing her legs apart, his throbbing member seeking entrance, and opened her eyes in surprise — he was fully dressed in all his Tuxedo Mask glory, right down to his mask and cape. Even that new curved sword of his was floating disconcertingly close to her stomach. She almost questioned her sanity, but then he kissed her deeply again, over and over, while his hands fell to her hips. She felt his arms clench, then her mind exploded when he suddenly thrust fully into her, sending them flying at the canyon wall.

Her wings pushed them back, and up; her breath caught. Still fully impaled by him, she opened her eyes and looked up. He was floating over her, and her bare legs were encircling him and floating up behind his cape. He grinned at her as he held her pelvis and started madly thrusting in and out of her, almost painfully crashing his clothed hips into her bare pelvic bones.

She reached up for his face; he loosed a hand from his mad grip on her hips, then pulled her head up to him, joining her in the kiss she required.

.

Sailor Mars had her back to the canyon, blushing redder than her outfit. She smiled at the engineer Sailor Mercury had brought along, but when he tried to peer into the canyon with the giant crystal floor flowing into it, Mars jumped in front of him. She looked awkwardly at Sailor Mercury, who was openly watching the scene below, open-mouthed. Angry.

The engineer finally said, "If I could just examine this material, here, while we wait for your ..'_Princess_' to finish—"

"Just hold your horses, buster," Sailor Mars said. She glanced backwards and down into the canyon —Lord help her Serena was entirely naked and Darien was fucking the living crap out of her. NOT the way to introduce city officials to the woman who would help keep Japan afloat —if the planners freakin approved the materials.

Sailor Mercury said, "If you give us just another minute, Sir, I'll let her know we're HERE!" She yelled again into the canyon: "SERENA TSUKINO!" Blushed as Rubeus walked up behind her and made a sound of approval at the scene below. Mercury looked up at the sky. _HOW _could this be her lot in life. A horny 'princess', her hornier baby daddy who couldn't even be bothered to take off his clothes, or use a bed! —and the cherry on top of it all: _Mr. Evil_ being her partner in stabilizing a world that was, quite literally, FALLING APART at the SEAMS.

Sailor Mercury knew Serena hadn't MEANT any harm in that rash decision — Ami didn't have it in herself to battle with the city engineers who were advising her, and they couldn't let go of old techniques that wouldn't work anymore. They didn't quite trust the crystal beams Serena had been pinning into the earth's mantle. So Serena had taken Rubeus from the emergency triage and tasked him to be Mercury's henchman. _Spokesperson_, maybe. Ami figured Rubeus took the task so willingly because it made him physically ill to actually heal people.

Using her new visor, she focused on the canyon, looking for a way to 'gently remind' Serena and Darien that, hello, WORLD FREAKIN DISASTER going on.

.

Tuxedo Mask exploded massively into his blushing Serena, fighting to stay buried in her even though it was starting to hurt. He choked out, "I don't know, Serena —that thing you did up there," he gasped for breath in his delirium, "—this sword.. I think it powered me up a bit _TOO _much."

Serena hadn't spoken at all to him, either before their swords touched, or afterwards. And now she was shivering so violently that she wasn't sure she remembered how to speak. She licked her lips, which apparently was an invitation for Darien to kiss her. Heaving for breath, she gently put a hand on his face, DEFINITELY not wanting him to think she was pushing him away.

Tuxedo Mask said, "You feel so good, you always feel so good—" and his feet touched the crystal floor. His knees buckled, and he grabbed her and pulled her over him so she wouldn't hit the floor first. He landed easily on his back; her wings had again come into play to brace them from the fall. He laughed; he laughed, and when Serena looked down at his face, still in the afterglow of orgasm, all he could say was, "I love you so much."

Serena nodded. "Darien," she said, startled by how raspy and dry her voice sounded. "—what's happening, it isn't from your vision." She was startled by the sudden flare in his eyes, and added quickly, "I have a lot to tell you, but," she licked her lips, feeling positively parched. Swallowed hard. She usually needed a few HOURS for post-coital bliss, so trying to make sense a few SECONDS afterwards took her great effort. "—just don't worry about your vision. This whole... 'flipped earth' thing is bad enough," she added, still breathing heavily.

He reached up and grabbed her hand, now careful to use his left hand, the one without the sword. When she intertwined her fingers in his, he asked, "Why were you running from me, Sere? You know I'd never be repulsed by you."

"Luna told you," Serena said, somewhat relieved. Of course the cat had run its mouth. It was why Darien had made love to her like this. She pulled his hand to her lips, kissed it. "Lita and Rei didn't take it so well; I wasn't sure how you'd react—"

..just as Sailor Mercury landed and pointed her rod at them, her head was facing away. "We've got dignitaries from the city up there waiting for you." Beat. "Please tell me you still have your dress, Serena." It might just be Sailor Mercury's hangup, but she surely hoped Serena hadn't lost that part of her transformation.

Both Serena and Tuxedo Mask had bolted up when Mercury landed; Serena noticed that all Darien had to do was pull a zipper a few inches up. She _GLARED _at him.

"Oh!" he responded to Serena's glare, then quickly pulled her body into his and covered her with his cape.

"How'd you undress me?" Serena whispered furiously.

"I don't know!" he responded back in a hushed whisper. "I think I just pulled on it!" and he rubbed her chest like a genie lamp—

..just as Mercury dared to look. Sailor Mercury turned back around, "Oh _COME ON_ you guys!" thinking they'd started making out again.

"We're trying!" Tuxedo Mask railed anxiously. "There had to be a trick to it—!"

"This is a nightmare!" Serena said hoarsely, but actually joined the effort to find a secret something that might get her dressed again. "DAMN why don't these things come with instruction manuals?"

As Darien lifted her arm out of the cape, thinking he'd at least drape that around her for now, his sword just happened to graze dangerously close to Serena's body —and her sword unsheathed itself to parry the accidental grazing, blasting him backwards several steps. The second her sword was in her hand, her dress and shoes reappeared.

"Oh!" Darien exclaimed. "—okay." He had a LOT to ask her about that sword later. He hoped there would BE a 'later'; that she was correct that his visions had been wrong.

"FINALLY!" Sailor Mercury spat, grabbing each one of them and taking off up the crystal flooring. She turned to Serena angrily and snapped, "I hope you know Rubeus got an eyeful." Beat. "And enjoyed it."

Tuxedo Mask grabbed Serena's hand, noting that while her primary sword was fused to her left hand, his was fused to his right, leaving their opposing hands free; he let go of Sailor Mercury's grasp and reached for Serena's hand. It was a silly thing to think, but the thought empowered him; they were meant to be like this. It felt right. Power once again coursed through his veins, if from himself or from her he didn't know, but he could have sworn he felt her spirit, and it lifted him up.

With a singular purpose, they left Sailor Mercury to run up the crystal floor, and took off high into the air.

.

.

.

Day 2, 2am  
_Temple_

Sailor Mars carefully ignited her fires. It had taken time for the Dynamic Duo to get to her Shinto temple, even with her insistence that they NEEDED her fires to have a pulse on the world. All Sailor Mercury's visor did was show complicated measurements that nobody except Mercury and the city engineers could decipher. Sailor Mercury couldn't tell them where the planet felt endangered. But Rei's fires could do that.

"Get anything?" Lita asked, now cozy in a giant bathrobe, sitting in the replica of Rei's temple. "Like, _where Nephrite is?_"

Rei detransformed, then relaxed by her fires. She was strongly opposed to Serena's judgment that Nephrite couldn't hurt them. And quite frankly, she didn't care if he couldn't hurt them - he'd attacked them viciously and deserved to pay! And boy-crazy Lita was still asking after him.

"Rei?" Lita asked. Then, "You're not still mad at me—?"

"I'm not ready to deal with you yet," Rei said softly, then returned to focusing on her fires. The red crystal walls were casting an eerie glow alongside her fires, maybe even heightening the effect of feeling connected with the supernatural.

Lita rolled her eyes, got up, and dug around the boxes for something resembling a teapot. "I want some tea." Beat. "Serena's not mad at me."

Rei closed her eyes, stood up, and turned around. Smiled. "We've got more important things to worry about now," and she stalked over and held both hands out to the thinner part of the crystal walls that would eventually function as a window. "Like keeping the earth from falling apart."

"I know that," Lita spat. "I lost my home, too, Rei." Then, letting her emotions show, she suddenly cried, "—and probably_ Nephrite!_" Nephrite had stared in absolute disgust at her new Sailor Jupiter powered-up transformation, and he'd begged off of providing assistance to the senshi, even in a bid to stabilize the planet.

When Lita had argued with Nephrite, even turned on him momentarily for being a coward, Nephrite had said some very hurtful things. Like all couples say when they're fighting, Lita was sure. Serena hadn't cared, though — she didn't want Nephrite's help if he wasn't willing to give it, and then she had quickly started the exodus from the moon. Lita had never had a chance really to apologize to Nephrite for some of the things they'd said to each other; she was anxious over him, now.

Rei stormed over to the boxes and found a teapot. She handed it to Lita and said, "If you really gave a rat's ass about Serena you would let go of your Nephrite fixation, like, yesterday."

Rei had tried to deal with the fact that, 24 hours earlier, the whole world was normal —until Nephrite attacked Serena. This idiot had bonded himself to a dark sword from the future to try to kill Serena. His completely sick ideologies about the purity of the earth had caused him to act against a positive force in the universe, and had, literally, turned the world on its side. —and Serena let him go free! Because she'd broken his bond to the evil sword, she didn't feel he was a danger any more than any other person on the planet.

Mina had warned Rei that Lita was still on the fence about Nephrite. She'd clearly been fooled by him, believing he had no desire to kill Serena, when in fact that was his only goal. Lita had had no clue that Nephrite had planted youma spirits in her furniture in preparation for discovery, or that he'd bonded himself to the Dark Matter sword. But even after all that, after the worst destruction the planet had ever seen, Lita was still willing to believe that Serena's purification had cleared up his 'disordered' thoughts.

Lita smiled. "Rei, Nephrite and _*I*_ have history, just like Darien and Serena's! I can't just give up on that."

"Why do you believe a word he ever said, Lita?" Rei asked. "Mina warned me about all your '_true love from the Silver Millennium_' argument. —It doesn't matter! In _THIS_ millennium, he lied to you, tried to kill your friends, and ultimately *_caused_* worldwide destruction!" —Rei was near tears, and she was never near tears. But her tears weren't for the world; they were for Lita, who simply wasn't herself anymore, even though Serena had welcomed her back into the fold with open arms. Rei was still tempted to try to get through to her — she wanted to say that even at her worst, Serena never betrayed any of them in favor of Darien.

But she knew Lita was incapable of handling that reality.

.

.

.

Day 2 4am  
_RESPITE_

Tuxedo Mask had secretly tucked a series of cavernous rooms deep in the crystal beams he and Serena erected around Tokyo. It had started out with one hollowed out column, primarily to see what he could do with his sword without her help, but he found the result so stunning, that soon an idea formed in his mind to carve out connecting "rooms" that could be used as a private shelter. With Serena distracted on her side of the walls by awed onlookers and demanding city engineers, Tuxedo Mask focused on what he hoped could be an inner sanctum for the Tsukinos and himself.

And when he'd finished the rooms, he told only Sailor Mercury the location, and asked Ami to help him get some provisions down there, explaining that he wanted the Tsukinos escorted to the rooms as soon as possible, and he'd bring Serena there for rest within the next few hours. The other senshi and their families would be staying either on Saphir's starship or at Rei's roughly-restored temple, but Tuxedo Mask wanted Serena to have her own place. After what they'd done for Tokyo overnight, he was sure it was a small thing to ask.

Serena and Tuxedo Mask had worked through the night finishing the necessary stabilizing beams and emergency structures throughout Japan. They would have much more work to do in the near future, as well. But for now, shelters were available, the earth had settled down some, and a temporary dome was over much of Tokyo until they could figure out how to insulate the city from a coming deep freeze.

And now it was time for rest.

And so at approximately 4am local time, 12 hours since the earth tilted, Tuxedo Mask was finally alone with Serena again, and grabbed her hand emphatically, pulling her to the next 'mission'.

The dazed superheroine shrugged as they approached: "Darien, this is where we started last night. Was there a problem?"

"There were some structural abnormalities," Tuxedo Mask said with a smile, then led her to the first of the magnificent crystal support beams they'd erected. Powered by her wings, he led them over winding staircases that went INTO the series of beams.

"Oh," she gasped, disappointed. "These aren't abnormalities, Darien; these are MAJOR screwups. —You don't think the rest of the beams have these holes in them, do you?" Her stomach churned at the idea of those politician people finding any kind of deviation from their plans. And she couldn't explain why these beams were so poorly constructed—

Tuxedo Mask moved his arm to her waist and they landed at a crossroads within the crystal. He pointed down one cavern, and said, "Your parents and Shingo are sleeping peacefully down this corridor, and you and I," he turned down the other path and pointed, "are _this _way."

Serena's eyes lit UP: "You're kidding me! —you _did _this?"

He smiled smugly at Serena as he escorted her down the corridors into their cavernous rooms, where even he was completely surprised at the job Ami had managed to get done. He'd known he had done a marvelous job on the walls and spaces — the Tsukinos were steps away, yet a world away at the same time; the ceilings felt limitless; and the small cove of white crystal that would serve as Serena's bedroom, _their _bedroom, was tucked safely away from all of this.

He had hoped for a few mattresses to sleep on; some blankets; a bit of food. Running water for plumbing, if Ami could manage it, but a few buckets of water would suffice, as well. But Ami had provided far more than that. There were full suites of furniture, luxurious fabrics, artwork, *_books_*, stores of food... electrical appliances whose power source he couldn't imagine.

He half-carried, half-flew her down to the cove he'd designated as their bedroom, whispering quietly, "Now, we rest."

Tuxedo Mask realized he was still exhilarated from his power-up — his sword she'd somehow gifted him by attacking his cane with her sword, when he was trying to stop her running. Which he still didn't understand, but whatever; he felt _great_! He knew Serena wasn't feeling as lively, but he attributed that to her being pregnant and needing some serious downtime.

He sat her gently on the bedding Ami had found; chuckled at Ami's work again — she must have raided an Arabian palace! The mattresses were more like enormous cushions of down; the linens like something for gods. Serena lay back, rubbing her belly, and looking up at him with a smile.

Tuxedo Mask chided her, "You can't rest like that, Sere." He stood up and detransformed, happy to get his civilian clothes back on, just so he could rip them off for a good night's rest. He opened the closet he'd built into the wall, beaming with pride at his own cleverness. Again, he was surprised by the luxurious robes he found therein. Like a grinning boy at Christmas, he grabbed both robes and started undressing, tossing Serena hers while he did so. In seconds, he was in his robe and landing on the bed. "Come on, Sere! Try this on!" he said, excitedly. "I've never FELT a material quite like this!" He wanted her to get hers on so he could rip it off.

She shook her head, trying to be happy that he was so elated, but aware now that he was expecting her to detransform. "I thought you talked to Luna," she said somberly.

Darien's mood sobered quickly at the mention of Space Cat. His blood ran cold when he saw her expression. "She told me the girls were sorta mean to you," he said.

Serena smelled the robe, tears forming in her eyes now. "Demand did this, you know." She looked at Darien. "It was very thoughtful."

Darien shrugged, just a little peeved. Of course Demand had done this; Ami delegated the task, but Demand probably took over the minute he learned this was all for Serena. The love — the abject, obvious care and thought into every detail — was far too romantic and personal to be from a busy, no-nonsense senshi trying to stabilize a planet.

"Serena," he asked, "What _didn't_ Luna tell me?"

"I'm stuck like this, for one," Serena said, far more casually than she felt.

He physically startled —it had only been a month since Malachite had so seriously beaten her that she'd transformed and couldn't stay detransformed. "Serena, did Nephrite hurt you again?" He stood now, anxious, wondering if he could reach Demand on the ship.

She shook her head, muttered "No," and then added, "I guess I drew too much power from the Silver Crystal," and started whimpering against her best efforts. She bit her bottom lip. Then just said it. "Darien, I'm not a Sailor Senshi anymore. I can't detransform."

She tried to sit up —had to use the freakshow wings she hated to help her. She got her feet on the floor, sitting with her back to Darien, dying on the inside from his silence.

Darien watched her back, trying to take it in. Closed his mouth. "Are you .._sure_?" he finally exclaimed.

"No. I'm not really sure about anything anymore," she said, more to the wall than to him. She reached behind her neck and unhooked her brooch, tossing it to what functioned as a side table. She absolutely knew she wouldn't detransform again; _SHE _was gone. Serena had blamed it on the moon, but Luna had insisted it had more to do with the power she'd drawn from the Silver Crystal.

Serena unsheathed her swords; let them ease to the floor. "I found out the hard way, when I tried to detransform on the moon," she broke off, blinking back tears. "It didn't work, of course." Beat. "Nothing at all worked."

When he didn't respond, at all, she removed her tiara and set it by the brooch. Then she pulled out her hairpins that held her odangos in place, and set the pins by the crown. She loosened her hair, finger-combed it. Feeling his disgust.

"Okay," he said, hoping she couldn't read his thoughts. '_His_' Serena was gone; all that was left of her was ..the transformation. His mind raced back to Lita's yesterday, when she'd reappeared from the rubble, in a new dress and with her Silver Crystal in tact. He gasped, remembering the normal, clumsy, adorable girl he'd fallen in love with.

He stammered out, "Are you still _—you_?"

And when she quickly turned to face him, and he saw her tear-streaked face, he immediately kicked himself for asking such a brain-dead question. When she moved to stand, he bodily tackled her before she could run, sensing he'd never be able to catch her again if she got away.

She struggled against him, but he held her down, trying not to show surprise at her strength. It wasn't often he had struggled with her in her transformed state; but he'd NEVER done it as simply '_Darien'_. He was afraid to speak, not wanting to say the wrong thing, but he did try to calm her: "Serena, _wait..!_" She wasn't calming down, so he crushed his whole body down against her, pinning her arms with his hands; her legs with his legs. When she quickly got an arm loose; he panicked and grabbed her dress —and was shocked when it shimmered away, like it had earlier that night.

Serena suddenly stopped struggling, and closed her eyes in shame. "Please get off me, Darien. I don't want to hurt you—"

He sat up, but still held her hands. Still stunned from the struggle, breathing hard, he looked her over, trying to think of the right thing to say. Her skin sparkled and glowed; her wings lay as flat against the bed as she could will them. The crescent moons on her forehead and stomach glowed brighter than ever. Even without her clothes and accouterments, she beamed and sparkled like a small sun.

She sniffed, trying to at least wipe her eyes and sit up, but he held her firm. And she didn't want to blast him away, hurt him. She looked away, pleaded, "Darien, I'm not even human anymore; just _let me go!_"

Darien's temper flared at that; he bent back over her and kissed her powerfully.

Serena felt the repulsion of Nephrite when he looked at Sailor Jupiter; saw herself through Nephrite's eyes — a _DEMON BIRD_ who was trying to rule mankind. She twisted her face away from Darien, getting more upset as he tried to force his kisses on her.

Darien grasped her jaw and tried to kiss her again; she went stiff under him, then tried to ball herself up and push him off of her. He struggled more, growing angrier —at her, for spurning him. —at the universe, for trying to tear her away from him. He growled out angrily, "_Don't DO this Serena!_"

When she started crying, Darien stopped trying to kiss her, and instead pushed his hand between her legs. She was trying to clamp her legs shut, but he forced his hand through her legs, grabbed her, breathed a sigh of relief when he felt her warmth. He started kissing her neck as he pushed his finger into her, thumbing her outside, letting her warmth encompass his fingers.

Serena started sobbing, struggling harder to get up, even though he was over her body. Her head was so far over his shoulder than he could feel her teeth on his back. He kept pumping his finger into her, determined to change her sobs into something else. "That's it," he cooed against her skin, pulling her body back down under him. When he tried to kiss her again, Serena blindly got a hand up and around his neck; he had to pull his hand out of her to fight against her grip. He yelled her name through gritted teeth.

She stared at her hand, immediately releasing her death grip on his neck. He quickly grabbed her hand and pushed it back into the pillow, then crawled over her again. She started crying again; "I'm sorry-!"

"Me too," he mumbled, then kissed her face several times. "Just .._relax_, okay?" He let go of her hand and quickly unbelted his robe, then tried to kiss her again. She was having none of it. He grabbed himself, willing his member harder, then he tried to push her legs apart again with his knee. Grew frustrated when she tried to roll over, stopping him. "RELAX!" he yelled nervously, pushing her back down. This time, when she startled at his harsh voice, he easily got his knees between her legs and quickly opened her legs.

She shook her head no, but he plunged deep inside her. Serena gasped at the invasion; she was still crying, trying to get up, so he put his hands on her hips and pushed into her hard again. "Kiss me, Serena," he demanded desperately, teeth resting against her face as he started thrusting into her. But she was inconsolable, still trying to push him away. His hands blindly snaked up her back, hitting her other-worldly wings, which he grabbed fitfully as he dipped down and tried to capture her mouth. Hurt because she was still struggling against him, Darien used a hand to better control her face, then plunged his tongue into her mouth.

Serena gasped for air as Darien took over her body completely, tangling his tongue with hers and thrusting into her depths with his raging manhood. Somehow Darien had splayed her legs wide open and pinned them down; she was helpless to stop these invasions without seriously hurting him; so she held herself still, tried to calm her crying. Soon she was helpless to stop herself from succumbing to the brutal invasions of her mouth and body; she soon realized she was kissing him back.

The minute she stopped struggling, Darien let go of the death grip on her jaw. She grabbed his arms and started kissing him back with fervor, and he nearly blacked out in relief, elated by her sudden change. He slowed his punishing thrusting, catching his breath, trying to come back to his senses. But the slower, deeper thrusts apparently drove her mad with desire — she began arching up into him wildly, sending sparks through his brain and desire through his groin.

He was mesmerized by her kisses, and kept plunging into her mouth with his tongue, over and over. When her channel started convulsing powerfully on him, he tried to slow his pace, desperately not wanting her to milk him dry so quickly. But as much as he'd overpowered her before, she was overpowering him now with her almost violent orgasm. His pace increased faster and faster in response to her, his body acting against his will; he almost angrily broke his kiss and gasped for breath as he fought to stop his own threatening orgasm. He wanted more time, wanted to ride this wave and drive her to another orgasm.

Serena reached up nervously and held his face, unable to control her body's convulsions, unsure why he'd stopped. Wanting him to kiss her again. He wouldn't even look at her. She said his name, needing him; then grabbed his hips, embedding her nails in his skin, encouraging him to make love to her.

Darien heard her beg for him; her muscles were still contracting powerfully on him, but he chanced a look at her. His jaw dropped in heated passion when he saw his sweaty, messy-haired pregnant nymph writhing under him, eyes wide with need. He grabbed her ass roughly and obliged her suddenly, forcing his way through her convulsing muscles with hard, deep strokes. Serena slapped a hand to his face and pulled him down, plundered his mouth with passion, groaning audibly into his soul.

.

He coughed, "_You are bewitched._" She was splayed out beside him, holding his hand, her leg draped across his. She merely turned her head when he spoke, glancing at him uncomprehending. He chuckled darkly, too exhausted to speak that second.

"_I feel bewitched_," she choked out, still shaking everywhere. She both wanted to be held, and wanted to be left alone, all at once, so she actually did feel bewitched. She figured that was just fine for the moment.

He licked his lips; sat up. Reached over and grabbed a bottle of water from the wet-bar, and drank deeply. He turned around and offered the bottle to Serena, whose eyes were wide open, staring at him. Darien startled when he saw her eyes, their normal deep blue even deeper now, with tiny, mesmerizing specks of light deep in the blue. As he stared, he could swear he was seeing entire solar systems in her eyes.

"You okay?" she asked lightly.

Darien shrugged. Looked out at their crystal room, which might not ever be lit up by natural light in their lifetimes, except for a few months in the winter. And then only dimly. He put the water down and lay back. "Of course not." A little angrily, he added, "How did you feel when you realized you couldn't be ..regular Serena again?"

She thought about that. But didn't respond. Her mind was mush.

Darien said, "I feel —_loss_."

"Yeah," she agreed quietly. That, and so much more. Loss of her body, for one. Loss of her ability to blend into the crowd. And then there was the overbearing guilt. And the feeling of unworthiness. There were so many other people that could probably use the Silver Crystal much better than she could. Ami, for one. Mina. But she cringed at the thought of Rei having that kind of power, though; her temper was too volatile for that.

"How could you expect to spring that on me and not expect me to —to _mourn_?"

Serena said, "It's been a hard day."

After a few more minutes, Darien asked, "How'd you turn my cane into that sword?"

"I don't know," she answered fitfully, again wondering how she was supposed to think clearly. "I wasn't expecting it. It's not like you're senshi or anything."

Darien glared at her; she glanced over at him and fought a giggle.

She straightened her grin. "We'll ask Luna, okay? —She said that everyone had a star seed, and that's what made us who we are. I guess you have that Tuxedo Mask thing going on." Serena looked around. "Darien? _WHERE IS MY CAT?_"

.

.

.

_Saphir's Star Ship - Escape**  
**_

"That was a very nice thing you did."

The large, beautiful man in white turned, taking in a weary Sailor Venus. She continued, "The Arabian quilts; the electricity from your own ship."

Demand shrugged, turned back to his laptop. "Ami said she needed some things; I picked them up." Beat. "No harm done."

"No," Sailor Venus agreed, taking the seat next to him. Spun around to face him, loving the chair. "No, it was a wonderful thing. Artemis informed me that Serena was no longer able to ...you know, _change_. —That she's permanently stuck like she is." She smiled. "I'm sure your gifts meant a lot to her."

"She won't know they're from me," Demand responded.

Venus sat up then, elbows on the desktop, staring at him. She propped her head in her hands. "You know, she's really, *_really_* into Darien."

Demand's jaw hardened. He closed his laptop and sat back. Somewhat amused, he said, "Yes, I'm aware of that. —Are you trying to defend her honor from the big bad Prince Diamond, sweet Mina?"

Venus shrugged. "Nope." Somewhat uncomfortably, she added, "I just don't get you. Talk about a glutton for punishment." She shrugged, smiled. "—and her. I can tell, she'd really lose it if she lost you."

Demand smiled. "You have nothing to fear, Mina. I'd never leave her."

"Yee-eah," Mina rolled her eyes, standing up. Serena couldn't have two true loves, but damn if this guy wasn't convincing. He was just so damned confident! She glanced back at him. "What about Nemesis?"

Demand said, "Serena wants to stabilize the earth as much as possible before embarking on Nemesis. And quite honestly, as 'cut off' as Nemesis is, it's in far better condition than Earth right now. I'm in no hurry."

"EXCUSE ME!" Ami burst in, grabbing Sailor Venus, gasping for air.

Venus startled, "—what are you doing here?"

She pulled Sailor Venus out of the ship's bridge: "Excuse us, we have a MAJOR DISASTER!" Ami screamed at Demand.

Ami pulled her into the corridor, looking madly about as she did so. Then she took off at quite a clip, dragging Venus behind her. When she finally found a room she felt was safe, she shoved Venus in, slamming the doors closed.

"Ami, what's WRONG?" Sailor Venus asked, looking around the room. "Where are we?"

"Torpedo bay," Ami said, tightening her robe. "I —I was at the temple and I was going to take a rest before —_oh did I tell you the engineers want me to head up the Planning Commission now?_ anyway and I was celebrating that and GUESS WHAT HAPPENED?"

Venus detransformed and sat on one of Saphir's .._missiles_, she supposed it was. "Ami, slow down. You had me thinking there was an emergency on planet!"

"THERE IS!" Ami squeaked.

Mina furrowed her brow. Ami was in her bathrobe; a planet-wide emergency would have warranted a transformation into her new Super Sailor Mercury self, not showing up on a spaceship in a bathrobe. "Okay," Mina smiled. "What's wrong?"

Ami nodded and rattled off, "I was just sitting there minding my own business getting ready to sleep but who would show up? At REI'S? You'll never believe— RUBEUS! In all his glorified evil looking like he was going to KILL me, which is how he always looks if you ask me, like he's going to kill—"

"AMI!" Mina shouted, pushing Ami down on a missile. She looked around, wondering if this room was safe. "Look, I know Rubeus has always made you a little nervous, but don't you think you're taking this 'Dr. Evil' thing a bit too far? They were all so helpful today!"

Ami's face went white. She bolted up: "Mina he came in and started talking about his day and telling me why they'd used the Negaverse like I would even care and then.. THEN? THEN! HE. ASKED. ME. To. eat. WITH. HIM!" Ami nodded, "Yes, PURE EVIL wanted me to go with him to _I don't know_ probably To. HELL! and so I excused myself and left and got a shuttle up here where I HOPE I'm safe—"

Mina had started laughing, put a finger on Ami's mouth, shushing her. "You just left?"

"What'd you EXPECT me to do? I thought you were going to be some HELP!"

Mina laughed, not having understood HALF of what Ami had said. She shrugged. "You're the only one of us that Rubeus doesn't detest, Ami." Beat. "He respects your intelligence. Did you hear what he said to ME when the world spun off its axis? I mean hello, he called me a ditz! I agree he can be a little harsh."

"Harsh?" Ami asked. "HARSH? Mina do you know why he's such an expert with heart repairs? it's because he used to rewire people's hearts as a practical joke so their blood would pump into their lungs, I mean WHO DOES THAT?"

"Another life, Ami!" Mina said, rolling her eyes. "They were brainwashed by some bad guy; Demand thought that rape was a fine way to woo a girl, too."

"RUBEUS is still LIKE that!" Ami complained. "and I bet if I don't have dinner with him he'll eat my SOUL! —Oh Serena's going to have to reassign him. Maybe it IS a good time to get them back to Nemesis. I mean, we've GOT to do something!"

.

Demand said into his communicator, "Yes, she's here; she just ran onto the bridge and grabbed Sailor Venus." Then, "Really?" Demand stifled a smile. "Oh, I'm sure she'd LOVE the company. I'll transport you right up!"

He smiled, buzzed Mina. "Yes, dear, would you see that Ami's dressed forthwith." Beat. "It seems she has a date."

Luna licked her paw, then said, "You enjoy moving people around like pawns, don't you, Mr. Diamond?"

"I like to keep things interesting, cat. Absolutely," he smiled.

.

.

.

_Day 2, 10am  
Regrouping_

Nephrite walked through the ruins of Tokyo, angry. The earth had stopped rumbling overnight; the waters had stopped coming. The buildings were still crushed though; there were dead people still littering the streets. He stopped, turned around in a circle. Yelled, "And where's the damned SUN!"

He kicked at rubble that used to be a street, trying to pick his way to his old — well, yesterday 'old' — manse in the middle of Tokyo, needing to find his star charts, salvage any equipment his could. Consult the stars. If he could just get the star charts, he might be able to relocate to a more stable continent on this planet and start over. If not a new continent, maybe even the moon, he allowed himself to believe —for a second. Then realized he'd rather go down with HIS ship than get stuck on Serena's hellish moon.

The moon witch hadn't punished him; she'd just let him go, thinking he was insignificant now.

Nephrite wondered if that weren't, indeed, the truth. When he'd left the planet with his sword and his woman earlier the day before, he had been Serena's _equal_. He could have taken her down; he KNEW it. And he wouldn't have stopped there! The Black Moon men she cherished so much would have been next. Followed by the rest of the Senshi, except maybe Lita. Maybe.

Even after she'd popped up in the moonscape, Nephrite was sure he could beat her. She was inexperienced with her blade; inexperienced with her demonic wings. And him being joined with his Dark Matter sword, he knew he could slice her to ribbons, as long as he stayed away from the kid she was carrying. He thought back to the previous month, when Malachite had snatched her up and they'd all started to pummel her to death. They had almost succeeded, too, until Malachite had landed a kick a bit too close to her womb. She had become that indestructible shiny thing then, and they hadn't been able to do more than tie the bitch up. It was only over the last month, as he'd consulted the stars, that he'd learned what he must do to kill her was to join his soul with the dark sword.

He had promised Lita he wouldn't harm the witch; he had planned to tell Lita that Serena attacked him, and he killed her in self-defense! But Serena had gotten the drop on him — bad luck on his part. And he'd taken off to the mountain cave where he'd hidden Lita, hoping to buy himself some time; regroup.

And that was when he'd realized he was beaten. As Serena had followed him, the stupid satellite of the earth _CHOSE SIDES_, and burst into life all around him. The cave with Lita in it became a magnificent room of a pure crystal palace —a replica of the Silver Millennium castle he remembered all too clearly. Every step the witch had taken after that detailed the castle more.

He gave up, and watched as the Moon Bitch melted down; surprised she had been the one who destroyed the earth.

And now, here he was. Watching as the Senshi changed the landscape of the ruined Japan. He hated them; he hated them all. Did they really believe that patching their glassy shit here and there would ever make the world the same as it had been before the moon bitch fucked it up? The Senshi were busily cleaning up their big messes now —he'd heard that the tsunami had been frozen mid-wave, such that there was a giant CURL in the ocean now.

But it was too late for his old plan. She'd broken his bond with the Dark Matter sword. He couldn't touch her. At least, not yet. His best bet was to get back to his star charts and plot a different course entirely.

He was knocked aside from behind as a girl ran past. She turned around without stopping, apologizing. Nephrite rolled his eyes, thinking about how he used to annihilate vermin like that.

As he walked on, though, the girl came back and asked if he were okay. He ignored her; he was _Nephrite_! Of course he was okay!

"No you're not," she insisted. "You're hurt. Your arm is bleeding!" As she fumbled around his jacket, announcing he was cut, she said, "Come on —I know where the healing triage is!"

Nephrite rolled his eyes, thinking no more healing for him, ever! But then the girl mentioned a star-faring trio of princes who could heal with their mind. "It's real quick, too —amazing to watch! This would be no problem for them!" Beat. "And I know the girls who set it all up! They went to school with me!"

This got Nephrite's attention; he formally introduced himself to the girl, who said her name was Molly. She went on to tell him how, before the earth tilted yesterday, she had been on the news telling them what she had seen at Lita's house. "I was there, Nephrite! I saw that house blow apart! —I feel like I ..I was part of HISTORY!" she blustered, smiling at him, even jumping up and down with his hand in hers.

"How are you so sure the worst is over, Molly?" he asked, strangely entranced by this little waif of a girl.

She gleamed at him. "What, did you MISS it? We were totally DOOMED! The world was falling apart, even with the Senshi's help. We all knew we were going to die; it was just a question of when." She smiled. "We couldn't even breathe the air! Hello! But then Serena came back. Things started getting better real fast! —Come ON! Where have you been? You weren't unconscious, were you?" she asked, starting to worry.

They had walked upon the ruins of his manse, and he stopped, explaining to her that down in that sinkhole was his means of communicating with the stars. If he could get to any of his controls, he'd be able to get a glimpse of what was REALLY happening in the universe as a whole, not just in this solar system, or on this planet. Didn't she understand that the Earth was powerful in the universe, and as such they were responsible to the universe as a whole?

Molly was frustrated that Nephrite didn't understand that his controls wouldn't help telescopes perched on destroyed mountaintops, but she felt strongly attached to this odd man. She opted to stay with him and help, but only if he'd let her bandage his arm, since he wouldn't get proper help from the Senshi's emergency triage.

.

.

.

.

_HOMEWORK_

**_._**

_"My name is Serena Chiba. I am a student of Ms. Haruna, a private employ of the  
nation-state of Tokyo. :-) X:*p She is the best teacher in the world and I'm very  
very very very very very !VERY! lucky to have her as my teacher, love Serena!"  
_

_.  
_

That didn't seem right either. She dropped her head on her desk, started crying.

"Now, now," Luna cautioned. "Get that assignment finished, Serena, if you want to be able to get to the mall tonight!"

Luna jumped up on the glorious pink bed that the Tsukinos had custom-ordered for their daughter's housewarming. It looked like a large, pink crystal sleigh, devoid of a headboard or shelves which tended to make sleeping with extra appendages impossible. It did, however, have a magnificent canopy like Serena had always dreamed about, which hovered high over the bed so, again, her wings wouldn't be impeded by simple acts such as sitting up.

It was Luna's favorite bed of all, much to Mr. Chiba's consternation. But Luna thought that situation was coming along nicely. He'd learned to keep his face away from her fur while sleeping, and his presence no longer bothered her so much.

"But Luna, I don't LIKE writing assignments!" She stood and stretched her arms high over her head, letting her very swollen belly pop out. She relaxed, and rubbed her belly. "Besides, I don't want my kids reading this stuff one day."

"Leave out the porn," Artemis said, bored, licking his paws. He often visited with Luna on lazy afternoons like this; it was so nice to have some connection with prior activities, like nagging Serena to do stuff.

"Focus on the Calamity," Luna offered. Then, "You're not the only one having to try to write a life story that sounds impossible. Everyone in the world's story is much like that."

"Yeah right," Serena laughed wryly.

Rei walked in, smiling widely. "We're all meeting at the Temple before going to the mall! I was on my way! —Need a ride?" She knew Serena had been itching to get out and go shopping, and the newly rebuilt mall was just opening today.

Serena smiled, turned back to Luna. "_LOVE _to!" she said, then ran to hug Rei. "Lemme run it by the big guy so he won't blow his top hat."

.

"Well tell them it's untenable!" Darien barked, tossing the communique back to Demand.

"Hey hey, careful!" Demand said, turning around carefully as he held Chiba's bundle of joy. "You could have poked his eye out!"

Darien bristled, then turned back to his work. He was now a practicing intern, even though that sort of thing was going out of fashion thanks to the Black Moon Clan's enterprising ways. Even people who had been regular surgeons before the Calamity were moving into the Spiritual Mending field. Darien wasn't particularly against that kind of medicine, but he was determined to learn the old-fashioned way first. Finding the instructors was the biggest problem, not to mention the lack of universities worldwide. Some things hadn't recovered well after the Calamity, and education was certainly one of those things.

But right now, instead of studying, he was having to help deal with a diplomatic nightmare — the Americans still wanted to tilt the earth BACK, and Tokyo's president had just sent to the Chibas to request a formal feasibility study. The fourth such study done since the Calamity.

Nephrite was now some kind of official adviser to the Americans; and this missive was nothing more than yet another cheap shot at Serena and the Senshi by the biggest thorn in their collective side. Why Serena just didn't snap this guy's neck in half was beyond him.

"Daddy?"

Darien glanced down at Little Gent, tossed his pen aside. Shrugged. "You're bored?"

The kid giggled and ran out of the room —straight into his Mama. He giggled more as Serena reached down and picked him up.

"Serena!" Darien corrected firmly. "You can't do that!" He flashed over to his wife and grabbed the toddler up. To the little boy, Darien said, "Don't _LET _your mom pick you up like that, Little Gent!"

Demand said, "Bet Mom would like to hold little Andrew!" and sidled over to Serena, enjoying watching the infant coo for his mama. Enjoying Serena bending over to kiss her baby. Taken, as always, by the scent of her hair.

Serena took the baby from Demand, and spun around to Darien and Little Gent. "Mama's going to the mall! —I need some shoes, Darien, and Rei's here now to give me a ride."

Darien pressed his lips together, unbelieving. "You haven't had time to do your homework, Sere. Ms. Haruna threatened to QUIT this time if you didn't buckle down a bit more!"

In fact, Darien had had to bribe the bitch to continue tutoring Serena, even though Haruna got paid more than ANY teacher in Tokyo. Haruna knew how important Serena's education was, not only to the Tsukinos and himself, but also to the entire nation; the nation considered Serena, particularly, and the Senshi in general, a national treasure. But the wise leaders were definitely concerned about Nephrite's rhetoric against the 'Moon Princess' and her magical solders. So the pressure to educate them all was very intense. And Haruna had claimed the pressure to educate Serena was above and beyond the call of duty, especially when the girl wouldn't stop gestating long enough to get through a grade of school.

Serena had passed the tests to be in 11th grade this year, but she was definitely losing interest in certain subjects, and Haruna didn't want to face public scorn if Serena didn't get through the 11th grade.

Serena's chin started quivering, and Demand took that as a cue to leave the room. On his way out, he said, "I'll get on that missive to the Americans right away."

Serena started to cry. Little Gent kicked his dad to get down, and started to get upset as well. "Daddy, Mommy's cry!"

Darien held on to Gent and went to hug Serena with his free arm. Andrew cooed as Darien kissed Serena's forehead. "You _always_ do this, Serena! But you're falling behind again." As she cried on his shoulder, he added, "You don't want Little Gent to catch up to you in school, _do you_?"

"But the mall just opened, Dare!" she cried. "EVERYBODY'S going! Even Mama and Shingo are there already! I'll finish up that stupid paper as soon as I get home I promise!"

"Tell you what," Darien said lightly into her hair. "You do ONE PAGE of that paper Haruna wants, and we'll _all _go. —_One _page!" Beat. "And none of those cutesy little drawings and .._smilies_, or whatever it is you do that gets Haruna so upset."

"Me too, daddy? I want to go!" Little Gent said.

Darien sighed and nodded, then grinned wryly at Serena. Serena's fake tears went away, and she accepted the offer. She gave Darien a quick kiss, then said, "Let me go tell Rei we'll MEET 'em there." She held out her hand to Little Gent, "C'mon Gent, let's go say hi to Miss Rei!"

.

.

.

_"My name is Serena Tsukino Chiba. I'm 17 years old, I'm married to a mean  
homework nazi, and I have 2 babies. They are cute. Darien is very cute too  
judging by the huge number of women who ask him out even though he's  
**MARRIED** to **me**! which he'd better never forget, homework nazi.  
_

_"My BFF is Rei Hino ~ Sailor Mars! I don't think I can write much about her  
because ..it's a state secret what she does. I'll leave it at 'war general'. :-)  
She freaked me out really bad when she took a vow of celibacy last year in  
order to satisfy some weirdo rule for Martian priestesses. I really wish she  
wouldn't have done that because I personally love ..._[THIS IS PORN, LADY  
MOON! -ARTEMIS]_ but she is a good friend even if she's sworn off of boys.__  
_

_Lita is my friend, too. I think she's the real reason Rei took her vows since  
Lita gets ~so~ worked up over boys that she can't perform her duties well._

_Three years ago Lita got upset about her ex-boyfriend, because she loves  
him__ a lot, and she tried to send his g/f Molly to another planet. She got in  
bad trouble and it almost started a war, because they live in America, and  
Nephrite called it an act of war! __Lita still wants him even though he really  
__doesn't even like her, plus he has Molly now. ..So that's why Rei swore off  
men if you ask me! Lita's better now! She is still looking for a guy like her  
ex-b/f, Nephrite,... even though he really wasn't all that great imo. :-X  
_

_Ami is my next BFF. She is a great guardian, never misses anything, and,__  
best of all! she just had a rockin' wedding to Prince Rubeus of Nemesis! I  
say that makes her a Princess! (even though she was one before neway).__  
It took them a long time to admit they were together, much less go out or  
get married! She claims he forced her into it on threat of death. But I don't  
believe her. She fell for him hard when he worked so hard in the Calamity._

_When we're not talking about the kiddos, or shopping, or doing fun stuff,  
most of my friends and family are disagreeing with me about everything.  
They want me to do things that I've learned shouldn't be done, no matter  
how good it might sound. Like, moving all known criminals off the planet!  
Or changing certain people's memories so they would be more pleasant.  
It worries me that I agree more with Nephrite than I do my own friends 'n  
family sometimes, but I do! I believe that those of us who happen to have  
a strong star seed should be very careful how they draw upon that power."_

_XOXOXO!_

_-**S**  
_

_._

_._

_.  
_

**The End.**

* * *

**_/AN/_**

My overall idea was to explore the idea of Sailor Moon _becoming _Neo-Queen Serenity and starting to build Crystal Tokyo without crazy help from the future (no run-ins from their future selves and child). I figured the easiest way to do it was having this new reality be a result of the Galaxia ending; chaos was dispersed, but that had some unintended consequences.

I wanted to incorporate three ideas from canon: (1) the early age Serena becomes immortal (age 19 in the manga), (2) the loss of her senshi status, and (3) that enigmatic Silver Crystal that powers the whole entire series. The silver crystal was her mother's, and ChibiUsa's, _and _a prison for evil spirits — but it's Serena's star seed? _Huh?_

I used the early SM-R season so the characters would be unaware of the future, and as a way to give Endymion's stupid dream some actual purpose (I mean, _ANYTHING _would be better than "a test of their love". _GMAB_! Endy is IN the future —doesn't he KNOW the strength of their love?)

Oh, and "_Negaverse Rising_" meant both the BMC literally raising the trapped exiles from the Negaverse; and the physical location of the Negaverse moving to a more temperate location on the globe (due to the axis tilting).


End file.
